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INSTITUTION  OF  SLAVERY 
IN  THE  SOUTHERN  STATES 


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syj**" 


\-  _~^Y 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 


THIS  TITLE  HAS   BEEN   MICROFILMED! 


Form  No.   471 


Jt«XuMC 


THE  INSTITUTION  OF  SLAVERY 


IN 


THE  SOUTHERN  STATES, 


RELIGIOUSLY  AND   MORALLY  CONSIDERED 


IN   CONNECTION   WITH 


OUR   SECTIONAL  TROUBLES 


BY 


-*M 


BRYA^N     TYSON 


OF   NORTH   CAROLINA. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

H.   POLKINHORN,   PRINTER,   D  STREET,   BETWEEN   6TH  AND  7tH 


THE  INSTITUTION  OF  SLAVERY 


IN 


THE  SOUTHERN  STATES, 


RELIGIOUSLY  AND   MORALLY   CONSIDERED 


IN  CONNECTION   WITH 


OUR   SECTIONAL  TROUBLES, 


BY 


BRYA.N     TYSON. 


OF  NORTH  CAROLINA. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

H.   POLKINHORN,   PRINTER,   D  STREET,   BETWEEN  6TH  AND  7tH. 
1863. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/institutionofslatyso 


THE  INSTITUTION  OF  SLAVERY 

IN    THE 

SOUTHERN"    STATES, 


I®  IT  RIGHT  OR  I©  IT  WROIVG  ? 


But  few  subjects  have  been  discussed  with  more  interest, 
and,  perhaps,  none  upon  which  greater  diversity  of  opinion 
prevails,  than  the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  Southern 
States.  Some  argue  that  the  institution  is  just  and  lawful, 
having  been  instituted  under  a  Theocracy  ;  others  that  it  is 
unjust,  inhumane,  and  ought  to  be  abolished.  One  or  the 
other  of  these  positions  is  right  and  the  contrary  is  wrong. 
God  is  on  one  side  Dr  the  other  of  the  question,  and  is  op- 
posed to  the  opposite. 

It  is  now  my  purpose  to  inquire  impartially  into  this  mat- 
ter in  order,  if  possible,  to  determine  which  side  of  the  ques- 
tion God  and  justice  is  on ;  and  should  we  be  so  fortunate  as 
to  find  a  solution  for  the  problem,  it  would  then  be  an  easy 
matter  to  determine  which  way  the  question  should  be  de- 
cided. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  said  that  this  is  not  a  proper  time  to 
discuss  this  question,  but  I  think  never  a  better.     I  think  a 
question  that  has  caused  so  much  trouble  and  distress  as  this 
should  be  discussed,  and  discussed  freely,  with  an  honest 
search  after  truth,  rather  than  for  the  mastery,  in  order  that 
it  may  be  determined  and  settled  in  accordance  with  the 
word  and  justice  of  God,  and  settled  forever.     After  our 
fif        present  troubles  shall  have  been  ended  I  hope  our  country 
^         will  never  again  be  agitated  by  this  most  distressing  ques- 
ts tion. 


I  will  first  take  the  affirmative  side  of  the  question,  and  show 
wherein  it  would  be  best  for  the  servants  to  remain  as  they 
are.  Then  the  negative,  or  arguments  in  favor  of  emanci- 
pation. And  will  then,  in  conclusion,  compare  the  two  to- 
gether. 

Whether  or  not  slavery  be  right,  certain  it  is  that  it  has 
existed  in  all  ages  from  the  days  of  Noah,  when  a  curse  was 
laid  upon  Canaan,  down  to  the  present  time.  This,  I  pre- 
sume, is  a  conceded  fact,  and  I  will,  therefore,  consume  no 
time  in  proving  this  point,  it  being  my  object  to  prove  the 
justness  or  unjustness  of  the  institution,  rather  than  to  prove 
that  it  has  existed  for  a  long  or  short  period  of  time. 

According  to  my  knowledge  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa 
ments,  being  an  earthly  servant  here  does  not  appear  to  be 
a  matter  of  so  very  great  importance  if  so  be  that  we  are  so 
fortunate  as  to  gain  eternal  life  in  the  world  to  come. 

We  find  the  word  servant  mentioned  in  the  Scriptures 
some  four  hundred  and  thirty-five  times.  This  word,  how- 
ever, has  different  meanings  according  to  the  sense  in  which 
it  is  used,  but  I  will  mention  only  a  few  of  these  texts,  such 
as  are  calculated  to  elucidate  the  subject  under  considera- 
tion ;  by  far  the  greater  portion  having  no  bearing  upon  the 
subject  whatever. 

We  find  the  word  servant  mentioned  in  at  least  twelve 
places  as  pertaining  to  those  that  were  held  to  involuntary 
service  or  labor.  The  first  place  that  the  word  servant  is 
mentioned  in  the  Bible  is,  I  believe,  at  Genesis,  IX,  25, 
where  Noah,  awaking  from  his  wine,  lays  a  curse  upon 
Canaan,  saying :  "  cursed  be  Canaan ;  a  servant  of  servants 
shall  he  be  unto  his  brethren."  Soon  after  this  we  find  by 
comparing  Genesis  10,  2,  with  Ezekiel  27,  13,  that  Javan, 
Tubal  and  Meshech  were  trading  among  them  upon  the  per- 
sons of  men  as  merchandise.  If  this  had  been  wrong  it  is 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  the  practice  would  have  been  con- 
demned by  the  good  men  of  that  day.     But  we  do  not  find 


it  thus  condemned.  The  curse  having  been  pronounced  of 
Noah  by  inspiration,  this  was  very  probably  a  means  devis- 
ed for  carrying  it  into  effect.  The  sentence  "  a  servant  of 
servants  he  should  be  unto  his  brethren"  was  irrevocable 
and  was  bound  to  go  into  effect,  let  the  private  opinions  of 
the  people  of  that  day  have  been  what  they  might.  It  should 
therefore  be  the  duty  of  the  people  in  all  ages  to  obey  the 
commands  of  God,  and  perform  the  duties  assigned  them, 
rather  than  to  cavil  at  his  decrees,  for  it  is  evident  that  God 
who  made  the  world  can  best  govern  it,  and  He  may  also, 
perhaps,  have  some  object  in  view  not  known  to  us.  There- 
fore we  should  submit  to  His  commands  and  decrees.  If  we 
would  always  do  this  we  would  be  apt  to  do  well  enough — 
better,  perhaps,  than  many  of  us  do. 

I  can  notice  but  one  or  two  other  texts.  We  will  first 
look  at  1  Peter,  2,  18,  21 : 

','  Servants,  be  subject  to  your  masters  with  all  fear ;  not 
only  to  the  good  and  gentle,  but  also  to  the  froward. 

For  this  is  thank-worthy,  if  a  man  for  conscience  toward 
God  endure  grief,  suffering  wrongfully. 

For  what  glory  is  it,  if,  when  ye  be  buffeted  for  your 
faults,  ye  shall  take  it  patiently  ?  but  if,  when  ye  do  well, 
and  suffer  for  it,  ye  take  it  patiently,  this  is  acceptable  with 
God. 

For  even  hereunto  were  ye  called :  because  Christ  also 
suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  example,  that  ye  should  follow 
his  steps." 

In  the  foregoing,  servants  were  plainly  commanded  to  be 
obedient  to  their  masters,  not  only  to  the  good  and  gentle, 
but  also  to  the  froward.  And  it  is  evident  if  a  servant  who 
suffers  wrongfully  and  takes  it  patiently,  thereby  renders, 
himself  acceptable  with  God,  that  it  should  be  the  duty  of 
the  servant  so  treated  to  take  it  patiently  in  order  that  he 
may  render  himself  acceptable  with  God. 

In  the  last  verse  it  says:     "For  even  hereunto  were  ye 


6 

called  :  because  Christ  also  suffered  for  us,  leaving  us  an  ex- 
ample, that  ye  should  follow  his  steps."  Christ  was  scourged, 
mocked,  spit  upon  and  crucified,  not  for  his  sins,  but  for  the 
sins  of  others,  all  of  which  he  took  patiently.  Therefore, 
when 'a  servant  suffers  wrongfully  and  takes  it  patiently,  he 
is  but  following  the  example  of  his  blessed  Lord  and  Master. 

We  will  now  look  at  1  Timothy,  6  ;  1-10 : 

"  Let  as  many  servants  as  are  under  the  yoke  count  their 
own  masters  worthy  of  all  honor,  that  the  name  of  God  and 
His  doctrine  be  not  blasphemed. 

And  they  that  have  believing  masters,  let  them  not  de- 
spise them,  because  they  are  brethren  ;  but  rather  do  them 
service,  because  they  are  faithful  and  beloved,  partakers  of 
the  benefit.     These  things  teach  and  exhort. 

If  any  man  teach  otherwise,  and  consent  not  to  wholesome 
words,  even  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  the 
doctrine  which  is  according  to  godliness  ; 

He  is  proud,  knowing  nothing,  but  doting  about  questions 
and  strifes  of  words,  whereof  cometh  envy,  strife,  railings, 
evil  surmisings. 

Perverse  disputings  of  men  of  corrupt  minds,  and  destitute 
of  the  truth,  supposing  that  gain  is  godliness :  from  such 
withdraw  thyself. 

But  godliness  with  contentment  is  great  gain. 

For  we  brought  nothing  into  this  world,  and  it  is  certain 
we  can  carry  nothing  out. 

And  having  food  and  raiment,  let  us  be  therewith  content. 

But  they  that  will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare, 
and  into  many  foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men 
in  destruction  and  perdition. 

For  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil :  which  while 
some  coveted  after,  they  have  erred  from  the  faith,  and 
pierced  themselves  through  with  many  sorrows." 

For  lack  of  time  and  space,  I  will  make  no  comment 
whatever  on  the  above  text,  but  will  leave  it  for  the  reflect- 


ing  reader  to  determine  for  himself,  hoping  he  will  give  it  a 
careful  perusal. 

Many  things  take  place  in  this  world  that  may  not  appear 
just  and  right  unto  us;  but  at  the  same  time,  God  may  per- 
haps have  some  object  in  view  not  known  to  us.  Thus, 
when  Saul  was  commanded  to  go  and  smite  the  Amelekites, 
he  was  commanded  to  smite  every  man,  woman  and  child. 
Even  the  innocent  suckling  that  had  of  itself  known  no  guile, 
was  doomed  to  death. 

We  are  told  in  another  place  that  God  is  a  jealous  God, 
visiting  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children  of  the 
third  and  fourth  generations  of  them  that  hate  Him.  Thus  it 
seems  we  belong  to  God,  and  He  hath  a  right  to  do  as  seern- 
eth  well  both  with  our  lives  and  liberties  also.  This  is  ex- 
emplified in  his  works  of  the  smaller  creation. 

If  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  beasts  of  the  forest  we  be. 
hold  the  more  ferocious  and  formidable  preying  upon  the 
weaker  and  lesser.  If  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  fowls  of 
the  air  we  there  behold  certain  species  armed  with  formid- 
able talons,  and  supplied  with  carnivorous  appetites,  and 
every  way  fitted  by  nature  for  preying  upon  the  weaker  and 
lesser.  And  if  we  turn  our  attention  to  the  fishes  of  the 
mighty  deep  we  there  behold  the  same  thing.  So  in  very 
nearly  all  of  God's  animate  creation,  except  man,  we  behold 
the  stronger  species  preying  upon  the  weaker  and  lesser. 
These  do  not  prey  merely  upon  the  liberties  of  the  under 
species,  but  actually  upon  their  lives,  generally  inflicting 
painful  and  excruciating  deaths.  So  we  find  that  the  lives 
of  one  class  are  continually  being  offered  up  to  support  those 
of  the  stronger  and  more  ferocious.  Even  so  among 
men,  so  far  as  liberty  is  concerned,  we  find  the  superior, 
more  intelligent  and  gifted  by  nature,  preying  upon  the 
weaker  and  less  intelligent,  in  reducing  them  to  bondage, 
and  compelling  them  to  serve  their  superiors.  This,  no 
doubt,  appears  revolting"  to  the  feelings  of  any  christian,  hu- 


8 

mane  man  ;  but  the  institution  of  slavery  has  now  got  a  foot- 
hold among  us.  The  people  of  this  generation  are  b}r  no 
means  responsible  for  this  class  of  people  being  reduced  to 
bondage.  Therefore  it  becometh  our  duty  as  philanthropists* 
to  study  their  case,  and  do  by  them  what  is  best  under  ex- 
isting circumstances,  such  as  we  would  like  to  have  done 
unto  us  under  similar  circumstances.  I  will  treat  of  this 
more  at  length  before  I  get  through. 

But  says  one,  the  servitude  spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  is 
applicable  only  to  the  Hebrews,  the  command  having  been 
given  especially  to  them,  and  therefore  we  have  no  right  to 
hold  servants  under  that  command  unless  we  can  establish 
that  we  are  of  Hebrew  descent.  I  will  acknowledge  that 
there  is  some  feasibility  in  this  argument ;  and  not  wishing 
to  lay  any  burden  upon  these  people,  not  even  so  large  as 
my  little  finger,  I  will  not  argue  the  question  any  farther  in 
that  light,  nor  will  I  take  any  advantage  of  the  curse  laid 
upon  Canaan,  but  will  proceed  to  argue  it  solely  in  a  moral 
point  of  view,  being  not  only  willing  but  anxious  that  the 
question  may  be  decided  according  to  the  best  interests  of 
the  servants,  be  it  which  way  it  may.  Because,  admitting 
that  the  Scriptures  would  permit  us  to  hold  or  own  servants, 
there  is  no  law  nor  obligation  that  I  know  of  that  would 
compel  or  bind  us  as  our  duty  to  hold  them.  And  believ- 
ing it  to  be  unjust  that  one  part  of  the  human  race  should 
be  deprived  of  their  liberty  and  happiness  in  order  to  in- 
crease the  happiness  of  another  class,  I  think  the  interests  of 
servants  should  be  consulted  exclusively  in  this  matter,  and 
let  them  be  emancipated  or  remain  as  they  are,  according  as 
their  interests  require.  I  will  now  proceed  to  argue  this 
question  in  a  moral  point  of  view. 

We  will  first  look  at  this  institution  in  a  family  where 
there  are  some  thirty  or  forty  servants.  We  find  among 
them  a  good  many  women  and  children,  and  some  old  men 
and  women  who  are  not  able  to  do  regular  field  labor.     So 


9 

out  of  the  whole  we  will  probably  not  get  more  than  four- 
ninths  who  are  regular  field  hands.  The  children  play 
about  at  their  sports — the  white  and  black  almost  invaria- 
bly together,  where  there  are  children  of  each  kind  on  a 
place — until  they  reach  a  proper  age  to  put  to  work, 
which  is  light  at  first,  but,  as  they  grow  older,  gradually  as- 
sumes a  heavier  form  until  they  get  so  that  they  can  do  any 
work  that  is  done  on  the  farm.  Their  labor  is  now  of  some 
value,  and  a  part  of  it  goes  towards  supporting  the  women  and 
children  and  the  old  men  and  women  who  are  now  too  old 
to  labor.  They  thus  continue  to  labor,  and  in  the  course  of 
time  declining  years  set  in  and  they  too  cease  to  be  any 
longer  regular  field  hands.  They  are  now  assigned  some 
light  work,  such  as  boiling  food  and  feeding  stock,  looking 
after  and  training  the  children,  &c.  The  young  negroes 
that  they  helped  to  raise,  now,  in  turn,  labor  to  support  them 
in  their  declining  years.  So  it  appears  to  be  one  continuous 
copartnership,  as  it  were,  they  having  all  things  common, 
like  as  is  described  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the 
Apostles.  The  children,  when  they  are  too  young  to  labor, 
likewise  when  they  get  to  be  too  old,  fare  equally  as  well  as 
when  they  were  at  a  proper  age  to  labor.  Thus,  of  the  three 
stages — youth,  middle  age,  and  old  age — through  which  ser- 
vants pass,  there  is  but  one  in  which  they  are  depended  on 
as  regular  field  hands.  In  old  age  they  are  taken  good  care 
of ;  and  thus  is  the  entire  slave  population  rendered  self- 
supporting.  So,  of  the  3,953,760  that  were  in  the  United 
States  in  1860,  I  don't  suppose  there  was  one  of  that  num- 
ber supported  by  public  tax.  Such  an  instance,  I  pre- 
sume, is  unknown  among  an  equal  number  of  industrial 
classes  any  where  in  the  civilized  world.  If  there  has  been 
any  property  accumulated  from  the  labor  of  the  servant  du- 
ring his  younger  days, .  that  very  same  property  stands 
pledged  to  take  care  of  him  in  old  age.  I  will  ask  where 
else  on  the  face  of  the  globe  could  you  go  to  find,  in  a  popu- 
lation of  nearly  four  millions,  no  paupers  ? 


10 

TREATMENT   OF   SEEVANTS. 

The  servants  at  the  South,  for  the  most  part,  receive  good 
treatment,  as  is  evident  from  the  census  returns  of  1860. 
During  that  year  there  were  3,000  servants  manumitted, 
and  803  escaped  to  the  North  as  fugitives,  making  a  total 
loss  to  the  slave  population  of  3,803.  Taking  this  as  the 
annual  loss  for  the  past  decade,  there  would  thus  have  been 
a  loss  to  the  slave  population  of  38,030.  But,  with  this  odds 
against  them,  the  slave  population  at  the  South  increased  du- 
ring the  decade  ending  in  1860,  23.39  per  cent.;  which  is 
faster  than  any  nation  in  Europe  increased  during  the  same 
period  of  time.  The  free  blacks  during  the  same  period, 
after  having  been  augmented  by  about  38,030,  increased  only 
12.33  per  cent. 

I  will  here  give  the  statistics  of  some  of  the  principal 
northern  cities.  In  the  city  of  Boston,  during  the  five  years 
ending  in  1859,  the  city  register  observes:  "The  number 
of  colored  births  was  one  less  than  the  number  of  marriages, 
and  the  deaths  exceeded  the  marriages  nearly  in  the  pro- 
portion of  two  to  one.i  In  Philadelphia,  during  the  last  six 
months  of  the  census  year,  the  new  city  registration  gives 
148  births  against  306^deaths  among  the  free  colored  people. 
So  Ave  find  that  the  slaves^or  servants  of  the  South,  notwith- 
standing they  were  subject  to  two  considerable  drains  as 
aforesaid,  increased  nearly  as  fast  again  as  their  free  breth- 
ren. From  this  we  would  infer  that  the  better  treatment 
was  in  favor  of  the  bond  servant.  This,  I  think,  is  the  effect 
of  their  working  in  societies  or  copartnership  as  already  ex- 
plained. For  thus  situated,  the  women  at  times,  when  their 
health  is  delicate,  are  not  required  to  labor,  being  taken 
about  as  good  care  of  as  a  member  of  the  white  family 
under  similar  circumstances.  I  have  known  the  owner,  in 
cases  where  a  large  percentage  of  his  servants  were  women 
and  children,  to  have  to  Jabor  himself  very  hard,  and 
always  have   his   nose  down  to  the  grinstone  in  order  to 


11 

raise  these  children,  while  they  were  running  about,  kicking 
up  their  heels,  and  seeing  their  pleasure.  But  they  were 
willing  to  undergo  this  toil,  with  the  hope  that  they  would 
be  able  to  pay  for  their  raising  some  time. 

The  servants  at  the  South  are  not  only,  generally  speak- 
ing, well  treated,  but  becoming  respect  is  also  shown  them  in 
old  age.  The  white  children  are  even  taught  to  call  the  elderly 
servants  uncle  or  aunt,  as  the  case  may  be.  I  was  thus 
brought  up  myself,  and  it  still  appears  natural  for  me  to 
do  so. 

Where  servants  are  properly  and  well  treated,  I  think  they 
frequently  fare  better,  and  have  more  of  the  necessaries  and 
comforts  of  life  to  go  upon  than  many  of  the  poorer  class  of 
white  people ;  and  the  reason  of  this  is,  they  attend  more 
systematically  to  business ;  for  while  the  voice  of  the  former 
is  heard  loud  and  long,  at  the  tavern,  or  other  places  of 
amusement,  these  are  attending  to  their  daily  avocations 
which  furnish  food  and  raiment  for  the  body  and  employ- 
ment for  the  mind  ;  and  being  thus  employed,  they  are  kept 
out  of  mischief. 

I  think  the  unexampled  increase  among  the  servants  is 
owing  to  the  society  or  copartnership  in  which  they  live,  to- 
gether with  the  early  age  at  which  they  generally  marry. 
(I  will  speak  of  the  mode  presently.)  In  making  matches, 
there  are  no  questions  of  a  worldly  character  to  decide  with 
them ;  for  their  women  are  all  like  Lycurgus  would  have 
those  of  Sparta,  all  equal  as  to  property. 

Among  various  laws  that  this  learned  sage  introduced 
into  Sparta  was  one  that  females  should  inherit  no  part  of 
their  father's  estate,  but  that  it  should  be  equally  divided 
among  his  sons.  Being  called  upon  to  explain  the  object  of 
this  curious  law  he  said,  the  young  men  in  making  matches 
would  not  then  be  picking  and  choosing  after  property,  but 
Avould  go  for  worth  and  merit.  It  also  seems  that  some  such 
a  law  would  have  an  excellent  effect  in  this  clay  and  time  in 


12 

encouraging  early  marriages  and  thus  prevent  the  un- 
natural state  of  celibacy,  with  its  many  concurrent  evils,  for 
where  people  marry  for  wealth  and  character,  they  frequently 
keep  picking  and  choosing  after  these  until  they  pick 
through  and  get  nobody.  Therefore,  under  a  discipline  that 
would  cause  early  and  universal  marriages,  religion,  morals, 
and  school-houses  would  doubtless  flourish. 

The  servants  generally  live  up  to  this  rule  ;  for  there  be- 
ing no  questions  of  a  worldly  character  to  decide  with  them, 
they  go  in  solely  for  "  love  and  beauty."  The  consecpaence 
is,  there  are  but  few  or  no  cases  of  celibacy  among  them  ; 
they  have  but  few  or  no  cares  as  to  their  rising  families, 
and  in  old  age  they  are  taken  good  care  of.  So,  where  they 
are  properly  and  well  treated,  they  are,  in  my  opinion,  about 
the  happiest  people  the  sun  shines  on. 

EXJOYMENT   OF   SERVANTS. 

In  order  that  the  reader  may  have  some  idea  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  servants  enjoy  themselves,  I  will  relate  the  fol- 
lowing incident : 

The  past  summer,  a  year  ago,  I  was  at  a  friend's  house  in 
Chatham  county,  North  Carolina,  who  owned  a  good  many 
servants.  It  was  in  time  of  wheat  harvest.  About  dusk  the 
hands  came  in  from  their  laborious  work.  It  would  seem 
that  all  might  have  been  tired  enough  without  seeking  far- 
ther exercise  in  diversions,  but  not  so.  After  supper  the 
banjo  was  brought  forth,  and  preparations  made  for  a  social 
dance.  They  soon  struck  up  in  high  glee.  I  remarked  to 
my  friend  that  negroes  saw  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction  and 
pleasure.  Yes,  said  he,  the  most  of  any  people  in  this 
world.  He  told  me  that  wishing;  to  finish  a  certain  field  of 
grain,  they  had  labored  very  hard  that  day.  But  one  Avould 
not  have  judged  so  from  present  appearances.  When  I 
went  to  bed  they  were  in  the  midst  of  their  glee,  making 
the  house  fairly  shake  as  their  busy  feet  kept  time  to  the 


18 

music.  So  in  what  position  in  life  could  they  be  more 
happy  ?  We  should  not  form  the  belief  because  they  have 
to  labor  that  they  are  rendered  unhappy ;  for  the  Bible,  I 
think  says  :  "  The  repose  of  the  laboring  man  is  sweet.' 
They  have  to  labor  or  their  owners  would  soon  be  reduced  to 
a  condition  such  as  to  be  unable  to  treat  them  well.  Hence 
we  may  conclude  if  they  be  placed  in  a  position  where  idle- 
ness would  be  encouraged,  that  their  condition,  instead  of 
being  bettered,  would  thereby  be  worsted.  For,  as  the  say- 
ing is,  "  when  idleness  comes  in  at  one  door,  want,  with 
crime  and  its  various  attendants,  come  in  at  another."  But 
servants,  for  the  most  part,  live  free  from  these  evils,  and  are, 
therefore,  a  contented  and  happy  people. 

FREE  NEGROES  VOLUNTARILY"  ENSLAVE  THEMSELVES. 

At  all  events,  the  felicity  of  the  bond  servant  is  such  that 
I  have  actually  known  free  persons  of  color  to  choose  their 
masters  and  voluntarily  enslave  themselves.  This  may  ap- 
pear very  singular  to  us,  but  unless  they  expected  to  better 
their  condition,  it  is  still  more  strange  that  they  should  thus 
voluntarily  give  away  their  liberty.  It  is  to  be  presumed 
that  they  considered  the  matter  well  before  entering  into 
this  engagement.  But,  inheriting  by  birth  no  wealth,  and 
not  being  able  to  amass  means  sufficient,  above  the  necessa- 
ry expenses  of  life,  to  purchase  lands,  horses,  &c,  and  thus 
put  themselves  in  a  comfortable  situation  for  living,  it  seems 
that,  rather  than  weary  thus  with  the  burdens  of  life,  and 
hire  themselves  from  house  to  house,  and  be  dependent 
on  uncertain  means,  they  had  rather  pick  out  some  good, 
kind,  humane  man  for  a  master,  who  was  well  supplied  with 
all  the  necessaries  and  comforts  of  life,  and  who  they  knew 
would  treat  them  well,  than  to  have  their  liberty  and  thus 
be  taxed  with  the  cares  and  concerns  of  life.  After  trying 
their  new  homes  I  never  heard  of  any  dissatisfaction  on  their 
part ;  so  it  is  to  be  presumed  they  were  satisfied  with  the 
change. 


14 

EFFECTS   OF  EMANCIPATION. 

To  show  the  effect  of  emancipation  on  these  people,  I 
refer  the  reader  to  the  history  of  Jamaica,  Hayti  and  British 
Guiana,  countries  where  emancipation  has  taken  place.  In 
these  countries  the  negroes  invariably  ceased  to  work  to 
much  advantage  after  gaining  their  freedom.  To  prove  this 
I  will  mention  a  few  facts. 

In  the  year  1790  there  was  exported  from  the  Island  of 
Hayti  163,405,220  pounds  sugar.  After  gaining  their 
freedom  the  quantity  began  to  diminish,  and  in  forty-three 
years  thereafter  there  was  not  a  single  pound  exported 
from  the  Island,  and  the  Queen  Island  of  the  seas  was  thus 
relinquished  to  barbarism,  desolation,  brutal  licentiousness 
and  crime,  in  every  hideous  form.  I  could  multiply  these 
instances,  but,  wishing  to  be  brief,  will  let  the  above  suffice. 

It  is  said  that  bees  when  transported  to  the  Island  of 
Cuba  soon  cease  to  work  and  lay  up  honey,  and  divert  them- 
selves by  flying  about  the  sugar  mills  and  stinging  the  hands 
whilst  at  work.  The  reason  that  they  thus  cease  to  labor  is 
that  they  can  always  get  a  sufficiency  of  the  necessary  food 
without  being  at  that  trouble.  Past  experience  has  gener- 
ally proven  this  to  be  the  case  with  the  negro  where  he 
has  been  emancipated — he  soon  ceases  to  work  to  much 
advantage. 

THE    NEGRO    CAN    LABOR    WITH   IMPUNITY  AMONG  VARIOUS 
EPIDEMIC   DISEASES. 

It  seems  the  negro  should  not  be  entirely  idle,  because  he 
is  well  adapted  for  laboring  on  the  cotton,  rice  and  sugar 
plantations  of  the  South,  and  can  labor  with  impunity  among 
various  epidemic  diseases  where  the  white  man  would  soon 
sicken  and  die.     To  Drove  this  I  refer  to  the  following  « 

In  the  summer  of  1855,  during  that  awful  scourge  of  yel- 
low fever  in  Norfolk.  Va.,  there  died  in  that  city  about 
3,000  persons.     Of  these  there   were  but   very  few   cases 


15 

among  the  blacks.  I  was  there  for  a  considerable  time 
among  the  fever  myself,  and  I  know  I  heard  it  remarked 
that  it  took  but  little  or  no  effect  on  the  black  population. 
So  they  seem  to  be  well  adapted  for  working  on  the  cotton- 
rice  and  sugar  plantations  of  the  South,  in  which  the  North, 
South,  and  various  European  countries  are  interested.  In 
warm  countries,  where  serpents  and  alligators  abound,  there 
the  negro  flourishes  to  greatest  perfection.  But  remove  him 
from  this  to  a  Northern  clime  and  he  soon  shows  unmistak- 
able signs  of  decay.  It  is  therefore  evident  that  his  labor  is 
particularly  essential  in  rearing  the  tropical  products,  and  ex- 
perience has  taught,  that  to  raise  these  successfully,  he  re- 
quires the  aid  and  superveilance  of  the  white  man. 

ARGUMENTS   AGAINST    SLAVERY. 

I  will  now  notice  the  negative  side  of  the  question  and 
proceed  to  give  the  arguments  that  are  generally  brought 
against  the  institution  of  slaver}-. 

Among  the  first  and  principal  of  these  is  the  enhanced 
value  of  real  estate  in  the  Free  States  and  the  prevailing  ig- 
norance among  the  poorer  classes  South  when  compared 
with  their  Northern  brethren.  We  will  notice  these  argu- 
ments separately.  In  1850  the  average  value  of  land  in  the 
Northeen  States  was,  I  believe,  $28.07  per  acre.  In  the 
Southern,  $5*34  per  acre.  But  is  this  high  price  in  the 
one  case  and  low  in  the  other  attributable  solely  to  the  in- 
stitution of  slavery  at  the  South  ?  I  Dfeink  not.  I  think  it 
is  mainly  owing  to  the  very  dense  population  of  the  North- 
ern States  and  the  more  sparse  or  scattering  of  the  Southern, 
together  with  the  system  of  trade  that  has  been  carried  on 
between  the  two  sections.  Thus,  the  people  at  the  South 
have  nearly  forty-five  acres  of  land  per  head,  counting  both 
black  and  white,  great  and  small.  The  people  at  the  North 
have  less  than  twenty-one.  So  we  should  not  wonder  that 
lands  are  higher  at  the  North,  because  scarcity  always  en- 


16 

hances  the  value  of  anything.  It  should  also  be  recollected 
that  city  property,  manufactories,  &c.,  are  counted  in  the 
above  estimate ;  and  the  Northern  States  having  larger  cities 
and  more  manufactories  than  the  Southern  States,  have 
greatly  the  advantage  in  this  particular. 

If  we  compare  the  Northwestern  with  the  Southwestern 
States  we  shall  find  the  average  value  of  land  in  the  North- 
western to  be  $11  39  per  acre  ;  In  the  Southwestern  $6  26. 
So  the  lands  of  the  Southwestern  people  are  worth  more  per 
head  than  those  of  the  Northwestern  ;  for  what  they  lack  in 
price  they  more  than  make  up  in  the  number  of  acres. 

But  after  all,  is  the  enhanced  or  high  price  of  land  any  ad- 
vantage to  the  generality  of  people  ?  I  think  not ;  no  more 
than  the  selling  of  corn  at  five  dollars  per  bushel  would  be 
to  the  buyer.  Where  lands  are  cheap  the  poor  can  buy 
them  and  every  man  own  his  tract  of  land ;  but  placed  at 
these  enormously  high  prices,  the  rich  alone  can  afford  to  be 
landholders. 

As  regards  the  superior  intelligence  of  the  masses  of  the 
people  North  compared  with  the  masses  South,  I  think  that 
is  mainly  attributable  to  the  system  of  trade  that  has  been 
carried  on  between  the  Northern  and  Southern  States,  to- 
gether with,  perhaps,  the  better  system  with  which  schools 
have  been  conducted  in  the  Free  States.  It  is  said  that  the 
South,  poor  as  she  is,  has  annually  poured  into  the  lap  of 
the  North  about  $230,000,000  This  amount  of  money  ex- 
pended among  the  Ncf  thern  people  was  calculated  to  make 
everything  flourishing.  Their  manufactured  articles  all 
commanding  ready  sales,  they  could,  with  the  proceeds 
thereof,  school  their  children  and  do  almost  anything  else 
they  desired,  whilst  at  the  South  the  people,  banks,  and 
everything  else  were  languishing  under  this  murderous  sys- 
tem of  trade.  Had  the  necessary  manufactories  been  built 
up  at  the  South,  and  these  $230,000,000  been  expended  an- 
nually among  the  poorer  classes  there,  they  too,  I  presume, 


17 

would  have  been  able  to  educate  their  children ,  and  busi- 
ness of  every  kind  would  soon  have  been  in  a  thriving  and 
prosperous  condition.  But  after  all,  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  the  superiority  of  the  Northern  people,  in  a  literary 
point  of  view,  compared  with  their  Southern  brethren,  is  not 
as  great  as  has  commonly  been  supposed.  And  as  regards 
morals,  I  have  it  from  reliable  statistics  that  the  religious 
persons  South,  according  to  population,  exceed  those  North 
nearly  in  the  proportion  of  two  to  one.  So  it  seems  what 
they  lack  in  learning,  if  any,  they  make  up  in  religion. 

a  Large  amount  of  northern-  profits  derived   from 
southern  labor. 

Let  the  institution  of  slavery  have  been  what  it  might,  it  is 
evident  that  the  Northern  people  got  the  sum  and  substance  of 
it,  while  the  Southern  people  got  the  shadow.  The  tide  of  trade 
had  got  turned  to  the  North  to  such  a  degree  thai  articles  of 
Southern  manufacture  would  scarcely  sell :  or  at  least  the 
Northern  was  generally  prefered  as  they  were  thought  to  be 
a  little  cheaper.  Capitalists  were,  therefore  afraid  to  invest 
their  money  in  these  enterprises,  for  it  was  evident  without 
the  benefit  of  the  Southern  trade  they  could  not  be  sustained. 

1  will  give  an  example  of  this.  There  were,  in  a  certain 
small  county  in  one  of  the  Southern  States,  (Randolph, 
North  Carolina,)  five  large  and  flourishing  cotton  manufac- 
tories, all  being  upon  the  same  water  course.  These  facto- 
ries turned  out  large  amounts  of  cloth  and  thread,  but  sup- 
plying none  but  the  home  market,  they  soon  became  over- 
stocked with  these  goods,  and  in  order  to  find  sale  for  them,, 
large  quantities  had  to  be  sent  to  the  Northern  markets, 
principally  New  York,  where  they  came  in  competition  with 
the  goods  of  Northern  and  various  European  manufacturers. 
Now,  in  order  to  find  sale  for  these  goods,  they  could  not  be 
offered  at  a  price  higher  than  the  Northern  and  European 
eould  be  bought  at.     But,  the  profits  of  the  Southern  manu- 

•       2 


18 

facturer  being  materially  lessened  by  the  expense  of  trans- 
portation, commissions,  &c,  what  do  you  suppose  was  the 
consequence  of  this  murderous  system  of  trade  ?  Why, .  sev- 
eral of  these  manufacturing  companies  soon  failed  to  meet 
their  demands,  and  some  of  the  stockholders,  who  not  hap- 
pening to  have  a  surplus  of  means,  had  to  sell  their  stock  at 
a  reduced  price  in  order  to  meet  their  demands.  So,  with 
this  prospect  of  things  before  the  Southern  people,  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at  that  they  were  afraid  to  risk  their  capital 
in  manufacturing  enterprises.  The  institution  of  slavery  can- 
not, I  presume,  be  brought  as  an  argument  against  the  want 
of  success  of  these  factories,  because  they  were  all  operated 
exclusively  by  white  hands.  Nor* can  it  be  said  that  the 
Southern  people  were  not  able  to  sustain  them,  for  they  had 
means  in  abundance  to  do  this,  but  these  were,  generally 
speaking,  sent  North.  Their  failure,  then,  was  simply  owing 
to  lack  of  home  patronage. 

But  soon  after  the  Northern  trade  was  broken  up  by  our 
sectional  troubles,  these  same  goods  advanced  in  value  over 
500  per  cent.  Many  of  the  manufacturing  companies 
throughout  the  South  doubled  the  wages  to  their  hands  and 
still  made  enormous  profits.  If  this  state  of  things  had  taken 
place  in  time  of  peace,  these  enhanced  prices  would  have 
caused  other  manufactories  to  spring  up,  and  thus,  in  time, 
these  goods,  through  competition,  would  have  been  brought 
down  sufficiently  low.  Employment  would  then  have  been 
given  to  our  poorer  classes,  and  under  these  circumstances 
all  would  have  journeyed  on  prosperously  and  happily  to- 
gether. I  think  we  would  then  have  been  able  to  show  our 
Northern  brethren  that  the  presence  of  a  few  niggers  at  the 
South  could  not  keep  us  from  manufacturing  nor  from  doing 
anything  else  we  wished  to  do.  I  desire  to  see  the  whole 
country  prosper,  both  the  North  and  the  South,  and  for  this 
purpose  I  think  they  should  trade  together  as  far  as  such 
trading  would  be  of  mutual  advantage  to  each  other.     But 


19 

1  am  not  in  favor  of  this  trade  being  carried  to  such  an  ex- 
tent as  to  enrich  one  section  and  impoverish  the  other,  and 
then  lav  all  the  fault  to  the  existence  of  a  certain  institution 
in  one  of  the  sections,  while  they  themselves  received  a  large 
amount  of  their  profits  from  this  same  institution.  I  will 
endeavor  to  make  this  a  little  plainer  by  giving  a  fable  that 
very  probably  the  reader  is  familiar  with  : 

THE  ASS,  THE  LION  AND  THE  COCK. 

Once  upon  a  time  there  was  a  lion  that  espied  an  ass  at  a 
distance  feeding,  and  having  a  mind  to  make  his  dinner  off 
of  her,  he  began  to  creep  slowly  toward  the  ass,  with  the 
intention  of  making  her  his  prey.  But  just  before  he  should 
give  the  fatal  spring  the  cock  crew.  The  lion,  having  a 
great  antipathy  to  the  crowing  of  the  cock,  turned  about  and 
scampered  away  as  fast  as  possible.  The  ass,  thinking  that 
the  lion  was  fleeing  from  her,  turned  and  pursued  after,  and 
would  every  now  and  then  feed  him  in  the  side  with  her 
heels.  They  kept  on  thus  until  the  lion  got  the  ass  off  as 
far  as  he  desired,  when  he  turned  round  and  accomplished 
his  first  desire,  which  was  to  make  his  dinner  off  of  her. 

Even  so  with  the  Northern  people.  Yast  Leaps  of  wealth 
bavins;  concentrated  in  the  Northern  States,  it  has,  I  fear, 
caused  our  Northern  brethren  to  become  a  little  arrogant 
and  presumptions,  thinking  it  was  their  superior  skill  and 
shrewdness  that  has  caused  this  great  concentration  of 
wealth.  But  in  very  many  instances  the  source  of  this  same 
wealth  is  mainly  attributable  to  the  labor  of  Southern  ser- 
vants, whom  so  many  of  our  Northern  brethren  are  now 
chasing  with  a  desire  of  changing  his  social  position.  But 
even  if  they  succeed,  mind  you  if  they  too,  in  the  end,  like 
the  ass,  will  not  suffer  most  by  it. 

If  I  had  time  and  space  I  could  trace  this  subject  further 
and  show  that  the  panics  that  have  been  occurring  in  our 
money  markets  at  the  South,  at  intervals  of  a  few  years  for 


20 

a  good  many  years  back,  were  mainly  attributable  to  the 
South  overtrading  with  the  North  and  the  North  over- 
trading with  Europe;  but  I  will  leave  this  part  of  the  sub- 
ject with  the  reflecting  reader. 

A  FEW  QUESTIONS  TO  BE  ANSWERED. 

I  will  here  ask  the  emancipationists  a  question,  and  that 
is,  if  there  be  such  an  advantage  in  free  labor  over  slave, 
why  does  not  the  people  of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland  and 
other  countries  of  Europe  enjoy  this  to  the  same  extent 
that  the  people  of  the  Northern  States  have  done  ?  This 
question  can  be  easily  answered.  In  the  first  place  the  Free 
States  are  not  so  densely  populated  as  those  countries ;  and 
in  the  second  place  they  have  not  had  such  a  place  to  trade 
and  draw  their  supplies  from  as  the  Northern-  States.  But 
if  the  South  would  produce  less  of  the  raw  material,  and  be- 
come to  a  certain  extent  a  manufacturing  people,  mind 
you  if  the  scale  would  not  soon  turn.  Soon  after  the  dis- 
covery of  the  cotton  gin,  cotton  commanding  very  high 
prices,  the  Southern  people  became  alive  to  producing  the 
raw  material.  The  climate  of  the  North  not  being  adapted 
to  the  growing  of  cotton,  they  erected  the  necessary  manu- 
factories and  became  a  manufacturing  people.  Their  goods 
too  commanding  high  prices,  soon  increased  their  capital, 
which  enabled  them  to  build  more  manufactories.  The 
Northern  people  having  got  their  manufactories  in  success- 
ful operation,  it  would  now  be  impossible  for  manufactories 
to  be  built  up  at  the  South,  without  affording  them  some 
protection  in  their  infancy.  And  all  the  protection  they 
would  require  would  be  for  the  Southern  people  to  patron- 
ize them,  let  the  price  be  high  or  low.  In  time,  competition 
would  bring  all  things  right,  as  has  already  been  stated. 

The  people  of  the  Northern  States  boast  of  the  rapidity 
with  which  their  new  States  have  grown  up.  This  is  owing 
to  the  emigration  from  Europe   and  other  countries.     But 


21 

when  these  States  shall  have  become  as  thickly  settled  as 
those  European  countries,  in  what  particular  will  they  pos- 
sess an  advantage  over  the  people  of  those  countries  ?  I  an- 
swer;  in  nothing,  unless  they  have  the  benefit  of  the  South- 
ern trade. 

NUMBER   OF    PERSONS  WHO    DO  NOT    TREAT  THEIR    SERVANTS 
WELL  COMPARATIVELY  SMALL. 

Again,  it  is  argued  that  servants  are  not  properly  and 
well  treated ;  that  they  are  kept  in  the  dark  and  sometimes 
ill-treated  also.  This  is  even  so,  and  I  desire  to  see  improve- 
ment in  both  cases. 

As  regards  evil  treatment  I  will  admit  that  there  are  a 
few  who  do  not  treat  their  servants  well,  but  the  number  is 
small  in  comparison  with  those  who  do  treat  them  well. 
Would  you  then  bring  evil  upon  the  whole  race  merely  be- 
cause there  are  a  few  persons  who  do  do  not  treat  their  ser- 
vants well  ?  The  time  never  has  been,  and  probably  never 
will  be,  when,  in  a  population  of  nearly  four  millions  of  peo- 
ple, whether  they  be  bond  or  free,  that  there  will  not  be  some 
acts  of  violence  committed  on  the  weakly  and  inoffensive. 

But  in  order  to  remedy  these  defects,  would  you  entail 
evil  upon  the  whole  race  ?  I  think  not.  I  will  illustrate 
this  by  the  following  : 

Eailroads  are  known  to  be  great  conveniences ;  but  still 
accidents  occasionally  occur  upon  them  which  sometimes  re- 
sult in  death.  Now  in  order  to  remedy  these  evils,  you 
would  not  do  away  with  the  entire  railroad  system,  would 
you?  No,  I  think  not.  I  think  you  will  readily  admit  that 
the  good  accomplished  by  them  more  than  overbalances  the 
evil. 

But  suppose  a  servant  is  harshly  treated ;  that  he  has  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  a  hard  taskmaster.  In  this  case  let  him 
raise  his  petition  to  Christ,  who  is  no  respector  of  persons, 
and  justice  will  eventually  be  clone.     I  have  thought  if  there 


22 

be  an  earthly  temple  lit  for  the  Spirit  of  Christ  to  dwell  in 
that  it  is  a  servant  who  is  evily  treated.  God,  in  His  infi- 
nite wisdom,  did  not  intend  that  justice  should  be  meted  out 
in  this  world.  If  He  had,  there  would  be  no  need  of  a  judg- 
ment in  the  next.  Therefore,  if  the  servant  evily  treated 
will  raise  his  petition  to  Him  who  ruleth  on  high,  it  will,  I 
think,  in  the  end  be  of  no  disadvantage  to  him.  The  hard 
taskmaster  will,  in  a  coming  day,  stand  at  the  bar  of  God, 
there  to  be  judged  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body, 
and  there  will  be  shown  no  respect  of  persons. 

SERVANTS  SHOULD  BE  TAUGHT  TO  READ. 

I  wish  to  do  these  people  justice  throughout,  and  I,  therefore, 
desire  that  they  should  be  sent  to  school,  and  at  least  taught 
to  read,  so  as  to  be  able  to  read  the  Scriptures.  It  has  been 
thought  by  some  emancipationists  that  such  a  course  would 
lead  to  enfranchisement.  If  it  would,  I  am  for  it.  The  soul 
is  evidently  of  more  importance  than  the  body,  and  should, 
therefore,  be  first  cared  for.  I  will  remark,  though,  that  the 
best  servants  I  have  ever  knoAvn  were,  such  as  could  read, 
and  were  religious.  It  creates  a  moral  worth  in  them.  But 
still,  should  such  a  course  lead  to  enfranchisement,  I  am  for 
it  as  aforesaid.  They  would  then  be  in  a  fit  condition  to 
take  care  of  themselves.  But  turn  them  out  in  their  present 
ignorant  condition,  and  it  is  feared  disastrous  consequences 
would  follow. 

MARRIAGE   AMONG    THE   SERVANTS. 

It  is  also  argued  that  the  servants  at  the  South  live  in 
open  adultery,  never  having  been  legally  married. 

In  answer  to  this  I  will  say,  that  a  great  many  are  mar- 
ried after  book  form  ;  and  they  all,  so  far  as  my  knowledge 
goes,  have  their  choice  in  this  matter,  whether  to  be  married 
after  book  form  or  cohabit  under  a  vow.  I  will  take  oc- 
casion to  state  here  that  I  believe  the  essential  part  of  the 
marriage  contract  consists  in  a  solemn  vow  between  the  par- 


23 

ties,  and  a  faithful  observance  thereof.  There  being  so  many 
different  forms  of  marriage  among  the  various  nations  of 
the  earth,  it  is  hard  to  tell  which  is  right.  But  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  that,  where  the  parties  cohabit  under  a  sol- 
emn vow,  and  observe  it  faithfully,  whether  made  privately  or 
publicly,  there  is  no  adultery  committed.  So  far  as  my  knowl- 
edge goes,  the  servants  that  cohabit  under  a  vow  are  fully 
as  faithful  to  their  companions  as  those  who  are  married  af- 
ter book  form,  and  in  both  cases  they  are  generally  true 
to  their  engagements.  But  still  I  am  for  granting  the  ser- 
vants their  discretion  in  this  matter,  and  let  all  that  wish  to 
be  married  after  book  form  do  so.  Or  if  it  be  found  more 
in  accordance  with  the  Word  and  justice  of  God  that  they 
should  be  married  after  book  form,  I  am,  if  you  please,  in 
favor  of  that,  and  even  of  compelling  all  to  be  thus  wedded. 
Cohabiting  under  a  vow  seems  to  have  been  peculiar  to  an- 
cient days :  that  of  book  form  or  public  marriages  to  mod- 
ern.    So  much  for  marriage  among  the  servants. 

AMALGAMATION. 

Another  argument  that  is  frequently  brought  against  the 
institution  of  slavery  is  the  amalgamation  of  the  white  and 
black  races.  It  is  true  this  is  an  evil.  But,  it  is  thought,  this 
could  be  effectually  prevented  by  passing  a  simple  law 
in  reference  thereto ;  and  that  is,  that  all  such  issues 
born  of  white  parents  on  one  side,  should,  as  soon  as 
capable  of  taking  care  of  themselves,  or,  at  farthest, 
at  the  age  of  twenty  one  years,  go  out  free.  In 
this  case,  as  the  owner  of  servants  would  not  care  to  raise 
children  who  would  be  of  but  little  or  no  profit  to  him,  it  is  to 
be  presumed  means  would  be  adopted  such  as  would  prevent 
an  increase  of  this  kind  among  his  servants.  New  cases 
being  thus  prevented,  the  mixed  races  now  on  hand  would 
soon  become  extinct  through  the  largely  superior  number  of 
pure  blacks.     As  is  now  the  case,  amalgamation  is  most 


24 

prevalent  in  towns  and  cities ;  but  it  is  thought  the  above 
would,  in  a  few  generations  measurably  wipe  out  the  whole, 
and  that  the  negroes  would  thenceforth  be  enabled  to  main- 
tain their  original  purity. 

SLAVERY  THE  CAUSE  OF  THE  WAR. 

Another  argument  that  is  brought  against  Slavery  is,  that 
it  is  the  cause  of  the  present  war,  and  should  therefore  be 
abolished.  I  think  in  this  case  our  duty  as  philanthropists, 
should  be  to  study  their  case  and  place  them  in  the  position 
in  which  they  would  be  most  comfortable  and  happy,  and 
then  let  the  people  of  each  section  conform  thereto. 

BUYING  AND  SELLING-  SERVANTS. 

Again :  It  is  argued  that  servants  should  not  be  bought 
and  sold,  and  thus  parted  from  families  and  relatives.  This 
does  seem  hard  ;  and  unless  some  one  else  were  more  in  favor 
of  it  than  I  am  there  would  be  but  few  bought  and  sold, 
I  assure  you.  But  the  principle  at  last  tends  to  transfer 
them  from  a  poorer  section  to  one  more  fertile  and  congenial; 
and  I  doubt  not  many  changes  have  thus  been  made  by 
which  the  condition  of  servants  were  bettered,  which  was 
not  apparent  at  the  time.  Thus,  I  am  credibly  informed, 
that  in  the  Southern  and  Southwestern  States  a  servant  fre- 
<.juetit^y  makes  for  himself  a  bale  of  cotton  in  the  time  given 
him,  which  he  appropriates  to  his  own  private  purposes.  In 
a  less  fertile  section,  probably  in  the  one  from  whence  he 
came,  he  could  not  do  this.  This  age  is  one  of  emigration 
any  way,  and  how  often  do  we  see  members  of  a  white  fam- 
ily scattered  into  almost  as  many  States  as  there  are  mem- 
bers ! 

As  regards  parting  a  man  and  wife,  and  small  children 
from  their  parents,  I  am  utterly  opposed  to  that.  I  will 
remark,  though,  that  in  a  sojourn  at  the  South  of  over 
twenty  years,  I  have  known  but  very  few  cases  where  a  man 
and  wife  were  parted.     There  is   a  disposition  among  the 


20 


people  to  keep  them  together  as  much  as  possible.  But  I 
would  be  glad  to  see  laws  passed  at  the  South  to  prohibit  a 
man  and  wife  from  being  separated  under  any  and  all  cir- 
cumstances, and  such  is  now  the  case  in  some  of  the  States. 

FUGITIVE  SLAVE  LAW. 

Another  argument  which  is  frequently  brought  against 
the  institution  of  slavery — or  rather  against  the  rendition  of 
fugitive  slaves,  which  in  substance  is  the  same  thing — is 
found  at  Deut.  xxiii,  15,  16:  "  Thou  shalt  not  deliver  unto 
his  master  his  servant  which  has  escaped  from  his  master 
unto  thee  ;  he  shall  dwell  with  thee,  even  among  you  in  that 
place  which  he  shall  choose  in  one  of  the  gates  where  it 
liketh  him  best :  thou  shalt  not  oppress  him." 

The  above  text  is  capable  of  a  two-fold  interpretation  : 
First,  that  the  Hebrews  were  the  only  people  permitted  to 
own  servants.  This  is  verified  by  their  being  commanded 
not  to  deliver  up  fugitive  servants,  they  being  supposed  to 
have  escaped  from  some  of  the  heathen  nations  round  about. 
Second,  that,  as  they  were  commanded  not  to  deliver  up 
these  servants,  and  at  the  same  time  were  not  commanded 
to  interpose  so  as  to  keep  their  masters  from  recovering 
them,  the  text  merely  means  non-interference  or  neutrality. 

I  will  illustrate  this  by  the  following  :  We  will  say  your 
ox  strays  off  and  gets  over  on  your  neighbor's  plantation. 
You  miss  him  and  go  and  search  for  him,  and  when  you  have 
found  him,  bring  him  home  without,  perhaps,  your  neighbor 
knowing  that  he  had  been  there ;  he  does  not  deliver  him  to 
you. 

But  if  your  ox  go  and  get  in  your  neighbor's  corn,  and 
he  put  him  up  in  a  stall  and  send  you  word,  and  when 
you  come,  he  should  then  show  and  deliver  him  unto  you, 
this  might  be  called  delivering.  Even  so  in  this  case. 
You  cannot  deliver  a  servant  unto  his  master  unless  you  are 
instrumental  in  his  recovery.     It  would  seem  that  a  servant 


> 


26 

escaping  from  his  master  and  seeking  refuge  in  a  foreign 
land  would  be  apt  to  have  some  just  cause  for  so  doing.  In 
this  case  it  would  now  be  very  cruel  in  you  to  hunt  down 
this  servant  and  be  instrumental  in  any  way  in  again  placing 
him  in  bondage  under  his  former  taskmaster.  But  if  you 
remain  still,  and  do  nothing,  neither  the  one  way  nor  the 
other,  then  is  the  case  very  different. 

It  is  also  argued  that  the  servants  should  be  emancipated, 
and  if  the  whites  need  their  services  let  them  hire  them  and 
pay  them  wages  therefor.  The  probability  is,  if  they  were 
emancipated  their  labor  could  not  be  commanded,  not  even 
for  money,  or  at  least  not  regularly  enough  for  farm  pur- 
poses ;  for  experience  has  generally  proven  that  where  they 
have  been  emancipated  they  soon  get  to  be  like  bees  when 
transported  to  the  Island  of  Cuba — soon  cease  to  work  to 
much  advantage,  as  already  stated.  It  is,  therefore,  to  be 
presumed  that  both  themselves  and  cotton  fields  would  soon 
languish  under  immediate  and  thorough  emancipation.  It 
should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  relations  existing  be- 
tween a  master  and  his  servant  are  quite  different  from  those 
existing  between  the  same  person  and  a  hired  servant.  In 
the  one  case  he  is  considered  and  treated  as  a  member  of  the 
family  ;  in  the  other,  but  little  regard  is  manifested  for  him 
after  receiving  his  wages,  and  he  is  able  to  obtain  but  few 
favors — only  such  as  he  can  purchase  with  his  money — 
which  in  many  instances  are  fewer  than  those  the  bond  ser- 
vant enjoys. 

I  will  here  ask  the  question  how  much  does  the  richest 
man  in  New  York  get  for  taking  care  of  his  riches  ?  I  an- 
swer, only  what  he  eats,  drinks,  and  wears.  "  But  they  that 
will  be  rich  fall  into  temptation  and  a  snare,  and  into  many 
foolish  and  hurtful  lusts,  which  drown  men  in  destruction 
and  perdition."  Therefore,  if  thou  hast  food  and  raiment, 
therewith  be  content. 


27 

COMPARISON. 

I  will  now  treat  of  this  subject  in  comparison  : 
In  order  to  show  the  effect  that  religion,  light,  and  the  in- 
fluence that  the  white  man  has  had  on  these  people,  I  will 
give  a  brief  biographical  sketch  of 

A   NEGRO   PREACHER. 

A  good  many  years  ago  there  resided  in  the  county  of 
Moore,  North  Carolina,  a  negro  whose  name  was  Ealph.  He 
professed  religion  early  in  life,  and  it  was  soon  discovered 
that  he  had  a  gift  for  the  ministry.  By  assiduous  study  he 
soon  became  learned  and  mighty  in  the  Scriptures.  The  church 
to  which  he  belonged,  seeing  that  he  was  likely  to  be  useful, 
contributed,  bought,  and  gave  him  his  freedom.  Taking  the 
name  of  his  master,  he  was  known  thereafter  as  Ealph  Free- 
man. He  formed  an  acquaintance  with  a  Baptist  minister 
of  the  name  of  McGee.  They  soon  became  very  intimate, 
and  traveled  and  preached  much  together.  At  length  they 
made  an  agreement  that  whoever  died  first  the  other  should 
preach  his  funeral.  Soon  after  this  McGee  removed  to  Ala- 
bama, where,  after  several  years,  he  died,  leaving  his  friend 
Ealph  still  surviving.  In  his  will  he  left  Ealph  his  horse, 
bridle  and  saddle,  overcoat,  Bible,  and  fifty  dollars  in  money, 
and  requested  that  he  should  be  informed  of  his  decease  ; 
which  was  accordingly  done,  and,  by  agreement,  a  time  set 
for  the  preaching  of  the  funeral.  A  few  weeks  before  the 
appointed  time  Ealph,  now  grey-headed  and  well  stricken 
in  years,  set  out  on  his  long  journey  to  fulfil  the  pledge  that 
he  had  made  with  his  white  brother  many  years  before.  He 
reached  his  place  of  destination  in  due  time.  It  being  a 
novel  thing  that  a  colored  preacher  should  come  from  North 
Carolina  to  Alabama  to  preach  a  funeral,  a  vast  concourse 
of  people  assembled  on  the  occasion.  To  use  Ealph's  own 
words,  "  the  whole  land  of  Judea  and  region  round  about 
had  come  out  to  hear  him."     He  said,  the  assemblage  of  peo- 


28 

pie  being  so  large,  he  feared  he  would  not  be  able  to  realize 
their  expeetations.  But  he  said  he  had  not  preached  far  be- 
fore every  bone  in  the  old  negro  felt  like  preaching.  His 
discourse  was  well  received,  and  after  services  a  collection 
was  taken  up,  and  $100  contributed  for  his  benefit.  Thus 
we  see  what  effect  light  and  religion  has  on  these  people. 

Contrast  the  above  with  the  following,  or  negro  at  home, 
by  M .  Jules  Gerard,  which  you  may  find  in  the  Philadelphia 
Inquirer,  of  September  7th,  1868  : 

THE    KING   OF    DAHOMEY. 

The  following  letter  has  been  received  by  the  Duke  of 
Wellington  from  the  celebrated  lion-hunter,  M.  Jules  Gerard : 

"  Monsieur  le  Due — Your  Grace  is  well  aware  that  few  men  gain  by  being 
seen  close,  unless  they  are  men  of  intellect  and  merit.  The  King  of  Daho- 
mey, despite  his  cognomen,  which  signifies  the  '  Eternal,'  or  the  'Infinite,' 
fully  justifies  that  rule,  to  which  he  is  no  exception.  Physically  he  is 
similar  to  the  other  blacks  of  his  country,  tall,  well  built,  a  head  like  a 
bull  dog.  The  most  usual  expression  of  his  countenance  is  that  of  cunning 
and  cruelty.  His  moral  qualities  are  in  perfect  keeping  with  his  physical 
conformation  ;  he  is  more  gracious  than  the  Kings  who  have  preceded  him, 
fanatical  for  old  traditions  and  customs.  The  traditions  of  that  microscopic 
court  are  to  turn  the  whites  to  the  best  possible  account  (exploiter  lea  blancs,) 
but  especially  to  induce  them  to  make  presents.  It  is  the  custom  to  excite 
the  people  with  sanguinary  spectacles,  so  as  to  be  able  to  carry  off  the 
neighboring  population  when  a  slave  dealer  makes  an  offer  to  the  King, 
and  also  at  the  annual  custom  of  human  sacrifices. 

I  have  just  spent  twenty  days  at  Kana,  where  the  King  was  staying  for 
the  celebration  of  the  lesser  ceremonies.  On  the  day  of  my  presentation  I 
was  conducted  across  the  market  place,  where  twelve  corpses  were  ex- 
posed to  view  on  separate  sites.  Six  were  hung  up  by  the  feet  ;  the  six 
others  were  upright,  like  men  about  to  walk.  Those  whom  I  saw  close 
were  horribly  mutilated  and  not  beheaded.  An  enormous  pool  of  blood 
covered  the  ground  beneath  the  scaffold,  giving  unmistakable  evidence  of 
previous  sacrifices  and  of  the  tortures  which  accompanied  them.  Our  re- 
ception by  the  king  was  brilliant,  very  cordial  for  myself  as  well  as  for  the 
French  Consul  ;  but  we  were  soon  able  to  convince  ourselves  that  this  was 
but  a  comedy  always  performed  by  this  poor  Paladin  to  get  the  presents 
brought  by  the  whites.  Born  and  brought  up  in  the  midst  of  these  spec- 
tacles, which  would  be  ridiculous  if  they  were  not  horrible,  the  present 


29 

King  is  actually  more  fond  of  them  than  his  subjects,  I  saw  him  on  thai 
day  admiring  with  the  delight  of  a  child  the  grotesque  dances  and  ridicu- 
lous pantomime  of  his  ministers,  and  then  of  the  princes,  and  then  of  all 
present,  for  our  amusement. 

A  most  infernal  music,  which  nearty  deafened  us,  delighted  the  King, 
who  seemed  to  he  in  a  state  of  ecstacy,  and  this,  M.  le  Due,  lasted  for  six 
hours.  On  the  following  day  his  Majesty  invited  us  to  witness  a  proces- 
sion of  the  King's  riches.  On  reaching  the  square  of  the  Palace  ("red  hutsj 
an  agreeable  surprise  had  been  prepared  for  us.  The  entrance  gate  was 
flooded  by  a  pool  of  blood  two  yards  in  width,  and  on  each  side  a  column 
of  recently  decapitated  heads  formed  two  immense  chaplets.  It  is  true 
that  on  this  day  the  King  wore  the  emblem  of  Christ  on  his  breast.  It 
must  be  presumed  that  it  was  the  cross  of  execution  that  he  meant  to  imply 
by  this  ornament.  As  regards  the  procession  of  his  wealth,  it  consisted  of 
a  few  old  carriages,  bath  chairs  carried  by  men  with  figures  like  Poliehi- 
nello.  One  thousand  women  carried  each  a  bottle  of  liquor  on  her  head  ; 
a  brass  basin  in  the  shape  of  a  foot-bath  to  receive  the  blood  of  the  human 
victims  on  the  day  of  the  King's  banquet ;  an  image  of  the  Virgin  ;  vari- 
ous basketsfull  of  human  skulls  ;  an  image  of  St.  Lawrence,  as  large  as 
life,  carried  by  blacks  ;  finally  the  drum  of  death. 

At  another  festival  the  King  commanded  on  foot  his  Amazons,  who 
manoeuvred  with  the  precision  of  a  flock  of  sheep.  On  the  market  place, 
already  mentioned,  each  step  was  ornamented  by  a  dead  body  ;  and  the 
King  came  and  went  in  the  midst  of  pools  of  blood  and  fragments  of  human 
flesh  in  a  state  of  putrifaetion.  On  this  occasion  he  had  daubed  his  face 
with  coal.  The  ceremony  terminated  with  a  mad  dance,  in  which  the 
King  took  part,  dancing  vis-a-vis  to  drunken  soldiers  and  musicians.  Such 
are,  M.  le  Due,  the  man,  the  Government  and  the  people  whom  we  have 
hitherto  hoped  to  turn  into  a  path  less  contrary  to  the  laws  of  humanity. 
I  regret  that  Captain  Burton  should  have  arrived  at  Kana  just  at  the  mo- 
ment of  the  King's  departure,  as  he  might  have  been  enabled  to  see  and  judge 
of  all  these  things. 

I  am,  M  le  Due,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

Jules  Gerard. 

P.  S. — On  the  day  of  his  departure  the  King  invited  us  to  a  review  of  his 
army  prepared  for  war.  It  was  from  12,000  to  15,000  strong,  comprising 
12,000  Amazons,  1,000  men  of  the  body-giiard,  and  2,000  archers." 

We  are  informed  that  the  Philistines,  upon  a  certain  occa- 
sion, became  masters  of  the  Ark  of  the  Lord,  but  whilst  it 
was  in  their  possession  they  were  sorely  smitten,  and  could 
have  no  peace  until  the  same  was  returned  from  whence  it 
came.     Even  so  with  the  servants.     If  their  being  subordi- 


/ 


80 

nate  to  the  whites  were  wrong  it  seems  they  should  be  re- 
turned to  Africa  from  whence  they  came,  even  to  the  do- 
minions of  King  Dahomey.  But  who  is  it  that  says  the 
condition  of  servants  would  be  bettered  by  such  a  transpo- 
sition ? 

MORALITY    OF   THE   FREE   BLACKS   AT   THE   NORTH   AND 
SOUTHERN"   SERVANTS   COMPARED. 

In  1850,  while  there  was  one  colored  convict  in  the  peni 
tentiary  of  Massachusetts  for  every  192  of  her  free  colored 
population,  there  was  only  one  in  every  10,000  of  the  ser- 
vants at  the  South  in  prison.  (I  here  select  Massachusetts 
for  a  parallel,  because  the  negroes  there  have  enjoyed  free- 
dom longer  than  those  of  any  other  State.  In  some  of  the 
other  free  States  crime  among  the  free  blacks  is  even  greater 
than  among  those  of  Massachusetts.)  But,  says  one,  they  are 
governed  and  kept  in  their  places  by  their  masters,  so  that  it 
is  not  often  they  are  imprisoned,  only  for  some  heinous  of- 
fence. This  is  even  so  ;  and  from  it  we  would  infer  that 
some  special  government  was  needed  for  the  free  blacks 
North,  in  order  to  reduce  the  enormous  amount  of  crime 
now  existing  among  them  to  at  least  a  respectable  figure. 

In  Massachusetts  there  is  only  1  in  every  109  of  her  popu- 
lation free  negroes.  So  the  proportion  being  so  small,  they 
do  not  make  any  great  impression  on. Society.  But  suppose 
they  all  be  emancipated  at  the  South  and  remain  among  the 
whites,  where  in  some  of  the  States  the  number  of  negroes 
exceeds  the  whites,  and  that  they  in  a  few  years  should  be- 
come thirteen  times  as  immoral,  as  the  whites,  what  do  you 
think  would  then  be  the  condition  of  society  there  ?  Consider 
the  matter  coolly  and  deliberately,  my  reader,  and  give  me  a 
calm,  dispassionate  answer. 

But,  any  person  that  has  traveled  at  the  South,  and  no- 
ticed things  for  himself,  has  doubtless  observed  that  the  ser- 
vants are,  generally  speaking,  a  very  moral,  contented,  and 
happy  people,  and  very  many  religious  also. 


31 

FORMER  AND   PRESENT   CONDITION  OF   EMANCIPATED 
SERVANTS     COMPARED. 

I  will  now  give  the  experience  of  some  of  the  latel}7  eman- 
cipated servants : 

One  of  these,  a  negro  man,  told  me  in  the  streets  of  New- 
bern,  that  he  was  not  as  free  now  as  he  was  before  he  came  into 
the  Federal  lines.  And  also  that  he  fared  better  particularly 
in  sickness,  for,  said  he,  when  I  got  sick  I  had  some  person 
to  bring  medicine  out  to  me  ;  but  it  is  not  so  now. 

I  do  not  mention  this  in  disparagement  to  the  Federal 
authorities ;  for  I,  doubt  not,  they  have  taken  as  good 
care  of  these  people  as  they  could  possibly  do  under 
existing  circumstances.  When  we  take  into  consideration 
the  magnitude  of  our  sectional  troubles,  and  disturbed  con- 
dition of  the  country,  our  great  wonder  is  that  they  have 
been  able  to  do  as  well  by  them  as  they  have. 

ANOTHER   CASE. 

A  woman  that  formerly  belonged  to  a  gentleman  who 
owned  some  three  hundred  of  these  people,  said  she  fared 
better  and  was  better  contented  before  obtaining  her  free- 
dom than  she  had  been  since.  This  woman  was  a  hired  ser- 
vant at  the  house  at  which  I  boarded  for  several  weeks 
whilst  in  TNewbern.  At  length,  the  number  of  the  lady's 
boarders  not  justifying  her  in  keeping  so  many  servants, 
she  was  dismissed,  and  without  means  and  without  employ- 
ment thrown  upon  the  world  to  beat  her  way  through  life's 
uneven  way  as  best  she  could.  ''Without  means  and  with- 
out employment"  will,  I  fear,  be  a  frequent  cry  raised  by 
these  people. 

ANOTHER   CASE. 

I  will  now  give  the  experience  of  an  old  colored  person 
with  whom  I  conversed,  at  the  market-house,  in  this  city, 
but  a  few  days  ago.     He  said,  a  good  many  years  ago,  his 


82 

master,  living  in  South  Carolina,  emancipated  himself  and 
family,  consisting  of  his  wife  and  seven  children — four  sons 
and  three  daughters — and  gave  them  money  to  bear 
their  expenses  to  a  free  State.  He  said  at  first  he 
hailed  this  change  with  much  joy,  as  he  expected  to  get 
aid  from  his  children  ;■  but  they  had  all  scattered  off,  his 
Wife  was  now  dead,  and  he  was  dependent  on  his  own  labor 
for  support,  and  now,  being  very  old,  he  was  ill  able  to 
labor.  I  asked  him  which  situation  he  would  prefer,  to  be 
back  with  his  master,  or  live  the  way  he  was  now  living  ? 
He  said  his  master  was  a  good  and  kind  man,  and  if  he  was 
now  back  with  him  he  would  never  consent  to  leave  him 
again.  Said  he,  I  then  had  some  time  to  rest,  but  I  have 
none  now. 

If  we  contrast  the  present  condition  of  the  servants  in  the 
cases  just  mentioned  with  their  former  condition,  and  take 
their  own  word  as  evidence,  how  does  the  matter  stand? 

I  will  here  remark  that  I  have  taken  but  little  pains  to  in 
form  myself  on  this  subject,  having  conversed  with  proba- 
bly not  more  than  a  half-dozen  relative  thereto,  some  of 
whom  (I  recollect  definitely  but  one)  said  they  were  better 
satisfied  since  obtaining  their  freedom  than  before.  These 
were  mostly  young,  hearty  laborers  who  were  then  working 
at  good  wages.  Whether  this  state  of  things  will  continue 
after  the  war  shall  have  subsided,  and  business  become  stag- 
nant, and  particularly  after  old  age  shall  have  set  in,  I  am 
unable  to  say.  We  will,  though,  take  it  for  granted  that 
what  has  proven  true  in  a  few  cases  will  in  very  nearly  all 
similarly  situated. 

I  will  here  ask  the  question,  if  these  servants  who  have 
tried  both  modes  of  living  say  they  were  better  oft'  and 
lived  more  comfortably  in  their  former  than  latter  condition, 
how  is  it  that  the  emancipationists,  who  know  but  compar- 
atively little  of  the  institution  of  slavery  any  way,  should 
know  so  much  better  what  suits  them  best  than  the  servants 
do  themselves  ? 


33 

THE  CONDITION  OF  BOND  SERVANTS  AND  FREE  PERSONS 
OF  COLOR  AT  THE  SOUTH  CONTRASTED. 

Near  where  I  resided,  in  North  Carolina,  there  lived  a 
family  Of  free  negroes,  which  consisted  of  a  man' and  his 
wife  and  one  or  two  children,  the  remaining  children  hav- 
ing scattered  off  and  left  them.  They  had  a  very  snug 
little  tract  of  land,  but  in  the  course  of  time  they  be- 
came embarrassed  and  had  to  pawn  their  land  for  money. 
They  are  now  old  and  well  stricken  in  years  and  ill  able  to 
labor.  So  their  creditor  could,  I  presume,  any  time  he  saw 
proper  to  push  his  debt,  have  them  turned  out  of  doors. 
Here,  then,  would  be  two  fit  subjects  for  public  charity, 
such  as,  I  presume,  you  could  not  find  among  the  whole 
population  of  servants  at  the  South.  (I  call  them  servants 
because  I  hate  the  name  slave.  The  word  slave  is  a  borrow- 
ed term  and  should  not  be  used.)  Contrast  the  condition  of 
the  members  of  this  family  with  bond  servants  of  a  like  age, 
where  they  are  under  the  protection  of  a  kind,  humane  man 
as  a  master,  and  where  they  have  servants  to  labor  for  them 
in  their  declining  years,  and  tell  me  which  you  think  is  most 
happy. 

The  above  family  were  the  only  free  persons  of  color  that 
lived  immediately  in  my  section,  so  I  cannot  be  accused  of 
being  partial  in  selecting  a  case. 

ANOTHER   COMPARISON. 

Again — it  is  argued  by  some  that  liberty  is  an  inherent 
right ;  that  we  therefore  have  no  right  to  deprive  any  peo. 
pie  of  their  liberty,  not  even  if  their  condition  be  bettered 
thereby.  I  will  illustrate  this  by  the  following  comparison, 
though  simple,  yet  it  will  do  to  illustrate  the  point  in  ques- 
tion. 

All  will  doubtless  admit  that  the  horse  fares  better  in  a  do- 
mestic state  than  he  would  in  his  natural,  or  wild  state  where 

he  could  roam  about  at  pleasure.     Now,  if  these  domestic 
3 


r 


84 

animals  were  liberated  and  turned  out  to  shift  for  themselves, 
they  would  soon  become  subject  to  great  want  and  sufferingj 
and  as  a  consequence,  would  pine  away  and  die.  Now,  no 
person,  I  presume  would  argue,  that  for  the  sake  of  giving 
these  brutes  their  liberty,  this  should  be  done.  Even  so  with 
the  negro.  Though  he  does  not  need  the  fostering  care  of 
the  white  man  to  the  same  extent  that  the  horse  does,  yet  it 
is  evident  that  he  does  to  a  certain  degree,  from  the  fact  that 
he  thrives  better  with  it  than  without  it. 

ANOTHER   COMPARISON. 

The  most  menial  services  is,  in  many  instances,  the  em- 
ployment of  free  persons  of  color. 

A  few  days  back,  as  I  was  passing  along  E  street,  I  heard 
a  popping,  banging  and  thrashing  ahead  of  me,  which  I 
could  not  for  my  life  conceive  what  it  meant.  Upon  drawing 
nearer  I  discovered  that  it  was  a  party  of  about  a  dozen  ne- 
groes engaged  dusting  a  carpet,  each  one  with  his  stick  lay- 
ing on  lustily.  Then  it  seems  if  they  be  emancipated  and 
allowed  to  remain  among  the  whites,  the  most  menial  of  ser- 
vices, more  degrading  than  farm  labor,  would  be  their  employ- 
ment, and  what  is  most  to  be  feared  is,  they  would  not  always 
get  even  enough  of  that  to  do.  And  if  freed  and  put  off  to 
themselves,  there  would  be  danger  of  their  going  into  bar- 
barism and  decay.  Contrast  their  condition  with  that  of  bond 
servants,  where  they  have  plenty  of  work  to  do,  plenty  to 
eat,  drink  and  wear,  are  kindly  treated,  and  in  old  age  well 
cared  for. 

ANOTHER   COMPARISON    AND   THE  LAST. 

In  conversation  with  emancipationists  upon  this  subject,  I 
have  frequently  been  interrogated  "  how  would  you  like  to  be 
a  slave  ?"     I  will  answer  this  by  the  following : 

Suppose  the  Mayor  of  New  York  should  propose  to  one 
of  the  merchant  princes  of  that  city  to  make  him  a  police- 


35 

man.  The  person  thus  addressed  would  doubtless  take  it  as 
an  insult.  But  were  he  to  propose  to  one  of  the  Irish  labo- 
rers of  the  city  to  make  him  a  policeman,  he  would  doubt- 
less accept  the  position  gladly.  The  reason  of  the  difference 
is  obvious,  because  the  employment  which  would  be  a  deg- 
redation  to  the  one,  offers  promotion  and  dignity  to  the 
other.  In  like  manner,  Slavery,  to  an  individual  of  the  An- 
glo-Saxon race,  which  occupies  so  high  a  rank  in  human 
estimation,  would  be  a  debasement  not  to  be  thought  of  with 
patience  for  a  moment.  And  yet  to  the  Guinea  negro  sunk  / 
in  heathen  barbarism,  it  would  be  a  happy  change  to  place 
hrrii  in  the  hands  of  a  kind  Southern  master. 

If  men  would  reflect  maturely  on  the  subject,  they  would 
soon  be  convinced  that  liberty  is  a  blessing  to  those,  and   k 
only  those,  who  are  able  to  use  it  wisely.     I  will  illustrate 
this  by  the  following  : 

All  waters  are  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  inhabited  by 
fish.  Even  the  waters  of  the  mighty  deep,  although  they 
are  so  salt  that  we  can  scarcely  taste  thereof,  and  much 
less  support  life  therewith,  are  yet  inhabited  by  im- 
mense multitudes  of  great  and  small  fishes.  Now,  suppose 
we  should  conceive  the  idea,  as  fresh  water  is  more  agreeable 
to  our  taste,  that  the  fish  of  the  sea  would  also  thrive  better 
therein,  and  should  transport  some  of  them  from  thence  to 
some  fresh  water  course,  what  would  be  the  consequence  ? 
Why  they  would  soon  pine  away  and  die.  The  sea  is  their 
natural  element,  and  before  removing  them  from  thence  it 
would  be  well  for  us  to  work  upon  them  and  change  their 
natures,  so  as  to  make  them  conform  to  the  new  element, 
and  if  we  fail  to  do  this  it  would  then  be  best  for  us  to  let 
them  remain  where  they  are.  You  will  doubtless  admit 
this. 

I  will  here  compare  the  servants  at  the  South  to  the 
fishes  of  the  sea.  Whether  or  not  they  occupy  their 
natural  position,  certain  it  is  that  it  is  one  in  which  they 


36 

have  prospered  more  than  any  other  in  which  they  have 
ever  yet  been  placed.  Therefore,  before  changing  their 
social  position,  we  should  first  change  their  nature  so  as 
to  make  them  conform  to  the  new  element.  We  need  not 
argue  that  they  should  first  be  placed  in  the  new  element  as 
they  are,  and  let  them  conform  thereto,  for  this  experiment  has 
been  tried  over  and  over  again — the  results  of  which  I  pre- 
sume are  generally  known ;  and  if  we  now  try  the  ex- 
periment again  under  similar  circumstances,  similar  results 
will  be  apt  to  follow.  Therefore,  before  placing  them  in  this 
new  element  their  nature  should  first  be  changed  and  made  to 
conform  thereto ;  and  if  after  a  fair  trial  we  fail  to  do  this,  I 
think  you  will  admit  that  they  had  best  remain  as  they  are, 
after  correcting  the  evils  of  servitude  as  much  as  possible. 

I  know  the  word  master  sounds  badly  to  a  great  many — 
even  to  myself.  I  am  therefore  for  consulting  the  interest 
of  servants  exclusively  in  this  matter,  and  am  for  continuing 
them  in  servitude  or  not,  according  as  their  interest  require. 
If  this  is  not  doing  as  we  would  be  done  by,  I  should  like 
to  know  what  is. 

SOME    MISCELLANEOUS    ARGUMENTS — PEOBABLE    EFFECT    OF 
EMANCIPATION. 

A  few  words  to  emancipationists  and  I  will  soon  conclude 
this  already  very  lengthy  article.  As  sensible  men  I  beg 
you  to  pause  and  reflect,  and  consider  well  what  you  are  do- 
ing. Listen  to  the  words  of  one  who  has  at  heart  the  best 
interest  of  these  people,  ere  perhaps  a  nation  may  be  invol- 
ved in  irretrievable  ruin.  Have  any  of  you  proven  that  the 
negro  would  be  better  off  emancipated  than  where  he  now 
is,  under  the  protection  of  a  good  .and  kind  man  as  a  master. 
No,  my  friends,  you  have  not  done  it ;  you  cannot  do  it. 
And  unless  you  can  prove  from  the  Scriptures,*  and  from 

*  If  it  could  be  clearly  demonstrated  that  the  condition  of  servants 
would  be  bettered  by  emancipation  I  believe  it  would  be  but  little  trouble 
to  bring   about   general   emancipation   at  the  South.     And  it  seems   this 


37 

countries  where  emancipation  has  already  taken  place,  that 
his  condition  would  thereby  be  bettered,  why  do  you  wish 
to  try  the  experiment  on  so  large  a  scale  ?  Before  striking 
to  free  more  of  these  people  I  would  advise  you  to  do  some- 
thing for  those  already  freed  and  in  your  midst.  It  has  al- 
ready been  shown  that  crime  among  the  free  negroes  of 
Massachusetts,  the  State  where  they  enjoyed  freedom  longer 
than  those  of  any  other  State,  is  over  thirteen  times  as  great 
as  among  her  white  inhabitants.  So  if  you  desire  to  do 
something  for  these  people,  here  is  a  field  open  for  you.  I 
will  endeavor  to  make  this  plainer  by  the  following  illus- 
tration : 

We  will  say  that  a  master- workman  gives  an  apprentice 
a  job  of  work  to  do,  and  he  instead  of,doing  it  well  bungles 
over  it  in  some  way,  or  perhaps  does  a  part  of  it  wrong.  He 
then  applies  to  his  master  for  more  work.  Does  he  give  it 
to  him  ?  No,  he  tells  him  to  go  and  do  well  the  work  ihat 
he  gave  him  before,  and  he  would  then  give  him  more. 
Even  so  in  this  case.  Before  you  desire  more  work,  first  do 
well  what  you  have  on  hand  and  you  shall  then  have  more. 

Again :  It  is  the  belief  of  certain  of  your  sect  (emanci- 
pationists) that  thorough  abolition  would  tend  to  the  exter- 
mination of  the  black  race  ;  that  they  would  vanish  under 
it  as  did  the  Indians  from  the  presence  of  the  white  man.  I 
have  heard  these  words  with  my  own  ears  ;  so  I  cannot  be 
mistaken  in  making  the  assertion.  Is  this  your  belief  also  ? 
If  it  is,  I  would  advise  you  to  desist.  I  don't  believe  God 
requires  any  such  work  at  your  hands.  I  don't  believe  He 
requires  of  you  to  sacrifice  1,000,000  human  beings  in  order 
to  place  in  the  road  for  extermination  4,000,000  others.  I 
positively  do  not  envy  the  man  his  happiness  that  would  ad- 
vocate emancipation  with  such  a  belief  as  this. 

should  be  the  first  step  taken  in  the  matter.  So  far  as  the  people  are  con- 
cerned it  is  not  so  much  the  loss  of  their  servants  that  causes  them  to  op- 
pose emancipationists,  for  a  great  many  would  voluntarily  give  them  up 
if  they  thought  they  would  be  bettered  by  the  change. 


3S 

The  negro  is  as  yet  but  a  child  in  intellect.  I  there- 
fore think  it  should  be  our  duty  as  Christian  people  to 
treat  them  kindly,  and  place  them  in  whatever  position  they 
thrive  best.  I  think  the  white  race  at  least  owes  them  that 
much  ;  for  they  were  stolen  from  their  homes  in  Africa  and 
forced  here  against  their  will.  Therefore,  as  we  have  plenty 
of  room  for  them,  and  they  can  also  occupy  a  useful  position 
in  society,  why  exterminate  the  poor  creatures  ? 

It  is,  though,  to  be  presumed  that  the  above  is  a  mere  ex- 
ception to  the  general  rule,  and  that  by  far  the  larger  por- 
tion of  emancipationists  inculcate  their  doctrine  of  univer- 
sal freedom  purely  through  philanthropic  motives.  But 
they  have  read  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin  and  plaj^ed  it  in 
their  theatres  away  up  North,  until,  in  my  opinion,  they 
have  formed  many  erroneous  ideas  concerning  this  institu- 
tion. 

MR.   HELPER'S   ERROR. 

Again  :  If  the  owning  of  servants  be  such  a  monster  of  an 
evil,  how  is  it  that  so  few  persons  South,  where  they  of  all 
others  have  the  best  opportunities  of  seeing  and  judging  for 
themselves,  have  been  found  to  raise  their  voices  against  it  ? 
We  have,  I  presume,  some  as  great  philanthropists  South 
as  can  be  found  anywhere  else,  and  if  this  had  been  such  a 
crime  as  is  frequently  represented,  it  seems  that  some  of 
these  would  have  come  out  and  spoke  against  it.  It  is  true 
a  few  have  done  this,  and  prominent  among  them  was  Mr. 
Helper,  of  North  Carolina.  But  it  is  to  be  presumed  that 
to  better  the  condition  of  these  people  was  not  the  object  he 
had  in  view ;  as  I  have  it  from  good  authority  that  he  hated 
negroes.  The  white  man,  then,  seems  to  have  been  the 
object  of  his  pseudo-philanthropy  ! 

But  suppose  his  object  had  been  accomplished  thoroughly — 
that  all  the  servants  had  been  emancipated — do  you  suppose 
the  condition  of  the   white  man  would  have  been  bettered 


39 

thereby  ?  No  ;  never  a  whit,  as  long  as  the  South  continued 
to  overtrade  to  the  North.  He  would  then  have  found  that 
he  had  been  striking  upon  the  wrong  string  altogether.  For 
even  if  the  servants  had  been  emancipated,  our  merchants 
would  still  have  continued  to  trade  North  as  long  as  they 
could  buy  goods  a  few  cents  cheaper  ;  and  while  this  state 
of  affairs  continued  how  could  manufactories  have  been  built 
up  at  the  South?  For  the  Northern  people  having  got  their 
manufactories  in  successful  operation,  and  having  the  chan- 
nel of  trade  turned  thither,  and  also,  selling  such  quantities, 
and  running  but  little  or  no  risk  to  effect  sales  for  lack  of 
custom,  could,  under  these  circumstances,  sell  cheaper  than  the 
Southern  people.  It  was,  therefore,  to  the  advantage  of 
the  Southern  merchant  to  trade  North;  but  it  would,  in  the 
end,  have  been  to  the  advantage  of  the  people  and  com- 
munity at  large  to  have  had  at  least  a  portion  of  these  goods 
manufactured  and  vended  at  the  South,  even  if  they  had  for 
the  time  being  been  some  higher.  For  I  hold  if  I  buy 
your  corn,  cotton,  flour,  &c,  that  you  could  then  afford  to 
buy  of  me  my  manufactured  articles.  By  reciprocal  trade 
the  prices  on  both  sides  would  soon  be  properly  regulated. 
Therefore,  to  have  a  universally  happy  and  prosperous 
country,  all  sections  must  produce  as  many  of  the  necessary 
articles  of  home  consumption  as  possible.  Having  some- 
what digressed  from  the  subject  I  will  now  return  to  it  again. 

WERE  ALL  MEN  CREATED  EQUAL? 

I  expect  to  adduce  a  few  arguments  to  prove  that  all  men 
were  not  created  or  born  equal,  and  that  the  negro  is  an  in- 
ferior species  of  the  human  race.  But,  even  taking  it  for 
granted  that  they  were  not  created  equal,  and  that  the  negro 
is  an  inferior  race,  I,  by  no  means,  consider  this  a  justifiable 
excuse  for  reducing  them  to  bondage  to  serve  a  superior 
race,  provided  their  pleasures  and  enjoyments  of  life  would 
thereby  be  curtailed.     I  think,  in  this  case,  they  should  be 


40 

looked  upon  with  commiseration,  and  that  it  would  be  our 
duty  as  philanthropists  to  do  something  to  elevate  and  better 
their  condition,  rather  than  to  pounce  upon  them  and  sink 
them  still  lower  in  the  scale  of  human  existence,  merely  be- 
cause nature  happened  to  do  a  little  more  for  us  than  it  did 
for  them.  My  only  plea  then,  for  retaining  these  people  a 
day  longer  in  servitude,  is  that,  under  existing  circumstan- 
ces, I  don't  think  their  condition  would  be  bettered  by 
changing  their  social  position.  I  am  for  first  applying 
to  them  the  anointing  oil  of  learning  and  Christianity ;  and, 
whenever  it  shall  have  been  clearly  demonstrated  that  they 
are  in  a  fit  condition  to  take  care  of  themselves,  I  am  then 
for  their  going  out  free. 

But  if,  after  exhausting  these  means,  it  should  be  dis- 
covered that  they  had  not  made  proper  advances  in  the  sci- 
ences and  civilization,  we  might  then  fairly  infer  that  God 
never  intended  that  they  should  be  placed  on  a  level  with 
the  Caucasian  or  white  race.  I  will  now  point  out  some  of 
the  principal  features  wherein  the  white  and  black  races 
differ : 

1st.  They  are  born  different  anatomically  considered.  The 
white  infant  at  birth  has  its  brain  enclosed  by  fifteen  disuni- 
ted bony  plates.  The  negro  infant  is  born  with  a  hard, 
smooth,  round  head,  like  a  gourd.  The  head  of  the  negro 
infant  is  also  smaller  than  that  of  the  white. 

2nd.  The  negro  is  a  prognathos  species  of  the  human  race, 
i.  e.  have  receding  foreheads.  Prognathos  is  a  technical 
term  derived  from  pro,  before,  and  gnathos,  the  jaws,  indica- 
ting that  the  muzzle  or  mouth  is  anterior  to  the  brain. 

I  could  multiply  these  differences  to  a  much  greater  extent, 
but  think  I  have  mentioned  enough  to  prove  conclusively 
that  they  do  differ  anatomically  considered,  and  this  differ- 
ence too  is  of  such  a  character  as  to  indicate  inferior  intel- 
lectual endowments  on  the  part  of  the  black  race.  As  a 
farther  evidence  of  this,  they  thrive  better  in  a  state  of  ser- 


41 

vitude  than  in  any  other  position  in  which  thej  have  ever 
yet  been  placed.  Where  the  fetters  of  the  white  man  have 
been  broken  they  have,  generally  speaking,  appreciated  their 
liberties,  and  made  advances  in  the  arts,  sciences,  civiliza- 
tion and  literature.  But  where  the  fetters  of  the  black  man 
have  been  broken  they  have,  generally  speaking,  (I  wish  I 
could  say  otherwise,)  made  a  retrograde  movement,  and 
started  back  for  savagism,  barbarism  and  mental  decay. 

Again.  It  appears  singular  that  the  words  of  Mr.  Jeffer- 
son in  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  "  That  all  men  were 
created  equal,"  should  be  made  to  date  back  and  apply  as  an 
interpretation  of  the  Scriptures  written  by  inspiration  thou- 
sands and  thousands  of  years  before.  No  such  doctrine  is 
inculcated  in  the  Scriptures,  and  it  cannot  be  found  within  the 
lids  of  theBible  that  all  men  were  created  equal,  such  an  idea 
being  wholly  of  human  origin. 

In  conclusion  I  would  say,  as  certain  emancipationists  and 
philanthropists  will  probably  differ  with  me  in  the  views 
herein  set  forth,  that  I  have  written  what  I  have  solely  as  a  duty, 
I  think,  I  owe  to  my  God,  my  country  and  my  countrymen. 
And,  as  regards  the  colored  people,  I  presume  there  is  no 
person,  neither  North  nor  South,  who  has  their  interest  at 
heart  more  than  I ;  I  sincerely  wish  them  well.  Therefore, 
before  condemning  what  I  have  written  relative  thereto,  I 
hope  you  will  give  the  subject  your  careful  consideration, 
and,  if  we  still  differ,  let  us  differ  honestly,  and  appeal  to  a 
decision  of  the  people  at  the  ballot  box  to  say  who  is  in  the 
right. 

THE  TERRITORIAL   QUESTION. 

As  the  agitation  of  the  slavery  question,  in  connection 
with  the  territorial  question,  has  had  much  to  do  in  produ- 
cing our  present  unhappy  state  of  affairs,  I  deem  it  expedi- 
ent to  make  a  few  remarks  relative  thereto. 

The  institution  of  slavery  at  the  South  was  safe,  and  pro- 


y 


42 

tected  in  the  States  where  it  existed  ;  and  already  the  South- 
ern people  had  more  than  twice  as  much  laud  per  head  as 
the  Northern  people,  as  I  will  show  before  I  get  through. 
And  more  than  this,  the  Missouri  compromise  line  would 
have  given  them  far  more  than  their  just  proportion  of  the 
Territories,  for  rightly  apportioned  there  was  only  about 
one-fifth  part  of  the  Territories  coming  to  the  Southern  peo- 
ple. But,  not  satisfied  with  this,  thinking  that  Cotton  was 
King,  their  politicians  thought  they  could  sway  things  as 
they  pleased.  (I  presume  they  will  find  by  the  time  these 
sectional  troubles  are  ended  that  Cotton  is  not  King.)  So, 
by  their  machinations  and  thirst  after  power  and  revolution, 
they  managed  to  bring  about  a  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Com- 
promise, with  the  ostensible  purpose  of  carrying  slavery  into 
the  Territories  whithersoever  they  desired,  thinking,  it 
seems,  that  they  had  a  right  to  do  as  they  pleased  in  this 
matter,  without  consulting  the  non-slaveholders  of  the  North 
and  the  South. 

In  order  to  make  this  plainer  I  have  made  some  calcula- 
tions thereon,  which  are  herewith  submitted. 

The  population  of  the  North  in  1860  was  18,834,956.— 
The  population  of  the  South  was  12,254,849.  The  area  of 
the  Northern  States  embraces  612,597  square  miles — 392,- 
062,080  acres.  This  divided  by  18,834,956  will  give  a  little 
over  20|-  acres  to  each  person  at  the  North. 

The  area  of  the  Southern  States  embraces  851,508  square 
miles— 554,965,120  acres.  This  divided  by  12,254,849  will 
give  a  little  over  44i  acres  to  each  person  at  the  South.  So, 
before  dividing  the  Territories,  I  think  the  North  should 
nave  been  made  equal,  or  have  had  23  J  acres  thrown  into 
each  inhabitant,  so  as  to  make  her  count  44J  acres  to  each 
person ;  then  have  divided  the  remainder  according  to  ra- 
tio of  population.  Let  us  see  how  this  calculation  will 
figure.  18,834,956  multiplied  by  23§  will  give  442,621,466 
acres,  equal  to  691,596  square  miles,  that  must  first  be  as- 


signed  the  North  before  the  South  should  receive  any  more 
territory.  This  amount  taken  from  1,492,061  square  miles, 
the  amount  now  embraced  in  the  Territories,  will  leave  800, 
465  square  miles  to  be  divided  between  the  North  and  the 
South.  This  would  be  in  the  proportion  of  about  1J  to  the 
North  and  1  to  the  South.  Divided  though  accurately  it 
would  give  315,523  square  miles  to  the  South  and  484,942 
to  the  North ;  or,  summing  up  the  whole  according  to  the 
plan  already  mentioned,  the  North  would  receive  of  the 
Territories  1,176,538  square  miles  ;  the  South  315,523  square 
miles.  These  lands  divided  in  this  way  would  give  to  each 
person  North  and  South,  with  what  they  now  have,  about 
60f  acres.     I  will  endeavor  to  make  this  some  plainer. 

The  whole  area  of  the  Territories  divided  into  States 
would  make  thirty  of  about  the  size  of  North  Carolina.  Of 
these  the  South  would  receive  a  little  over  six ;  the  North 
the  remainder.  There  would  then  be  to  each  man,  woman, 
and  child,  North  and  South,  black  and  white,  about  60|- 
acres  of  land  as  aforesaid.  Therefore  I  think  such  a  divi- 
sion would  have  been  fair  and  just  to  both  sections. 

The  people  of  England,  Wales,  Scotland,  aad  Ireland 
have  on  an  average  a  little  less  than  three  acres  of  land  each. 
Those  of  Belgium,  which  I  believe  is  the  most  densely  pop- 
ulated country  on  the  globe,  have  a  little  less  than  two. 
Were  the  United  States  settled  as  thickly  as  England, 
Wales,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  instead  of  a  population  of  31,- 
000,000,  we  would  have  one  of  over  662,000,000  ;  and  were 
they  settled  as  thickly  as  Belgium  we  would  have  a  popu- 
lation of  over  957,000,000.  From  these  figures  you  may  see 
that  we  had  only  made  a  beginning  towards  developing  our 
vast  resources. 

In  order  that  I  may  not  be  misunderstood  I  will  remark 
that  I  am  not  for  giving  the  North  the  amount  of  land  men- 
tioned in  order  to  make  her  count  numerically  equal  with 
the  South,  but  let  them  be  divided  according  to  the  plan  al- 


44 

ready  given,  and  let  the  people  of  each  section  pay  into  the 
Treasury  the  market  value  thereof  as  they  are  taken  up. 

I  will  further  state  that  the  315,523  square  miles  falling 
to  the  South  should  be  subdivided  into  slave  and  free  terri- 
tory after  the  following  plan:  Let  the  people  at  the  South 
all  vote  and  represent  their  respective  families  whether  they 
would  have  their  portion  of  these  Territories  slave  or  free. 
Thus,  if  a  man  have  a  wife  and  ten  children  let  his  vote 
count  numerically  twelve.  If  he  have  a  wife,  ten  children, 
and  twenty  servants,  let  his  vote  count  numerically  thirty- 
two.  Thus  the  business  would  be  so  arranged  that  by  all 
the  people  voting  the  number  of  votes  cast  would  be  equal 
to  the  whole  number  of  people  at  the  South,  bond  and  free, 
(12,254,849.)  I  am  aware  that  many  people  at  the  South 
would  vote  for  free  territory,  and  I  think  they  have  as  good 
a  right  so  to  vote  as  the  slaveholders  have  to  vote  for.  slave 
territory,  and  thus  scatter  slavery  over  every  foot  of  South- 
ern soil.  I  think  it  is  of  no  advantage  neither  to  the  ser- 
vants nor  their  owners  to  scatter  them  over  such  a  large  ex- 
panse of  country,  but  rather  the  reverse. 

If  the  slaveholders  were  allowed  to  represent  their  ser- 
vants numerically,  they  ought  to  be  satisfied  therewith,  and 
I  think  they  would  be.  The  portion  of  the  Territories  that 
would  thus  fall  to  the  South  would  average  a  little  over  six- 
teen acres  to  each  individual ;  and  I  think  the  non-slave- 
holder should  have  the  same  right  to  say  that  his  portion 
shall  be  free  territory  that  the  slaveholder  has  to  say  that 
his  portion  shall  be  slave  territory.  I  not  only  think  this 
plan  fair  and  just,  but  that  it  should  have  been  inaugurated 
sooner,  even  soon  after  the  admission  of  Texas,  and  let  that 
State  have  been  divided  into  slave  and  free  territory,  had 
the  people  of  the  South  seen  fit  to  do  so.  I  think  in  this 
division  the  black  race  should  be  represented  to  their  full 
numerical  value ;  for,  though  they  are  black,  it  takes  as 
much  land  to  support  a  black  man  as  it  does  a  white  man, 


45 

and  I  therefore  think  they  should  receive  their  full  distribu- 
tive share  thereof. 

I  think  the  territorial  and  slavery  questions  should  be 
settled,  and  settled  permanently.  Have  no  more  voting 
upon  them.  At  these  elections,  when  a  State  is  to  be  ad. 
mitted  into  the  Union,  with  or  without  slavery,  as  the  case 
may  be,  there  is  always  too  much  excitement  at  them,  too 
apt  to  be  blood  spilt ;  and  the  excitement  thus  got  up  ex- 
tends throughout  both  sections;  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that  much  trouble  should  have  grown  out  thereof.  There- 
fore, let  this  danger  be  avoided  in  the  future  by  settling  these 
questions  fairly,  permanently,  and  forever.  Had  the  South- 
ern people  struck  for  a  compromise  upon  some  such  terms 
as  the  foregoing,  I  have  not  a  doubt  but  the  business  might 
have  been  settled  fairly  and  permanently.  But,  instead  of 
doing  this,  they  have  come  out  under  the  protection  of  State 
laws,  and  have  assailed  the  best  government  the  world  ever 
saw.  Our  Government,  though  good,  had  some  defects  in 
it ;  but  it  should  have  been  our  duty  to  remedy  these  de- 
fects, and  not  have  disrupted  the  Union  -for  trivial  causes, 
and  in  place  of  the  lesser  evils  have  brought  on  others  infi- 
nitely greater. 

Let  the  interest  of  servants  be  which  way  it  may,  if  the 
rebels  of  the  South  persist  long  enough  in  this  wicked,  un- 
holy, and  uncalled-for  war,  slavery  will  certainly  be  wiped 
out  as  a  consequence  of  the  war,  if  nothing  else.  So,  let 
what  will  become  of  slavery,  in  the  language  of  the  patriotic 
Jackson,  "  The  Union  must  and  shall  be  preserved." 

WHY  THE   REBELLION  HAS   NOT   BEEN   SUPPRESSED    SOONER. 

It  has  doubtless  been  looked  upon  with  wonder  and  aston- 
ishment by  the  Northern  people,  as  well  as  Unionists  South, 
how  the  Southern  people,  under  such  great  disadvantages, 
have  been  able  to  hold  out  so  long.  The  population  of  the 
Northern  States  exceeds  that  of  the  Southern  more  than  two 


46 

to  one  if  we  except  the  servants  of  the  latter.  And  besides 
this  the  States  of  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  Kentucky, 
Missouri  Tennesee  and  Arkansas,  have  sent,  I  believe, 
111  regiments  of  soldiers  to  the  field  to  fight  against 
the  rebellion.  In  addition  to  this  the  North  have  a  large 
and  powerful  fleet,  and  the  Southern  people  as  good  as  none. 
There  is  also  an  extensive  Union  sentiment  in  the  States  of 
North  Carolina,*  Georgia  and  Alabama,  which  has  troubled 

*  In  order  to  give  some  idea  of  the  Union  sentiment  in  my  section  I  will 
give  the  vote  of  two  counties,  Randolph  and  Moore,  ("the  fortner  being  my 
native  county,  but  I  subsequently  removed  to  the  latter, )  that  was  cast 
for  and  against  the  Convention,  on  the  2Sth  day  of  February,  1861. 

Randolph,  out  of  a  vote  of  2,600  cast  for  the  Convention  only  24  ;  Moore, 
out  of  1,300  cast  for  the  Convention  68.  Adding  these  together  and  ma- 
king an  average,  we  find  that  secession  was  voted  down  in  the  two  coun- 
ties by  more  than  40  to  1.  I  quote  from  memory  and  may,  perhaps,  have 
underrated  the  Union  vote  a  little,  but  think  I  quote  the  secesh  vote  accu- 
rately. So  it  is  to  be  wondered  at  how  this  large  Union  element  could 
ever  be  made  subservient  to  the  secesh  authorities.  But  when  the  law 
gets  against  the  people  they  can't  do  much.  For  an  organized  force  can 
swallow  up  and  make  subservient  one  unorganized  many  times  larger. 
But  the  masses  of  the  people  still  remain  the  same.  For  they  look  upon 
it  that  the  causes  were  not  justifiable  for  secession,  and  much  less  for  this 
wicked  war  ;  and,  if  wrong  in  the  beginning,  that  fighting  can  never  make 
it  right,  though  there  be  ever  so  much  blood  spilt.  The  masses  of  the 
people  love  the  old  Government,  and  gladly  would  they  return  to  their 
former  allegiance  if  they  had  it  in  their  power.  Not  but  the  Union  forces 
were  right  in  attacking  the  rebs,  for  what  else  could  they  do  when  the 
United  States  flag  had  been  fired  upon  and  outraged  at  three  different  times 
before  a  shot  was  returned,  and  this,  rather  than  secession,  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  cause  of  the  war.  But  still  if  President  Lincoln  had  resorted 
to  a  little  strategy,  as  follows,  it  is  thought  he  would  have  killed  secession 
as  dead  as  a  hammer  without  firing  a  gun,  and  that  is,  let  him  soon  after 
his  inauguration  have  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  Southern  people  in 
effect  as  follows : 

To  the  Governors  and  people  of  the  States  of  Delaware,  Maryland,    Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  South    Carolina,  Georgia,  Alabama,   Mississippi,    Louisi- 
ana, Florida,  Texas,  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Missouri,  and  Arkansas : 
My  countrymen:  It  is  with  regret  that  I  see  a  cloud  gathering,  whicb, 

if  not  arrested,  may  soon  culminate,  break  over  our  heads,   and  disperse 


47 

the  Confederate  authorities  much  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
war.  So,  when  we  take  all  these  things  into  consideration, 
it  is  much  to  be  wondered  at  how  the  rebels  have  been  ena- 
bled to  hold  out  so  long.  This  can  only  be  accounted  for 
in  one  way.  The  Federal  army  attacking  and  failing  to 
carry  their  point  at  some  of  the  rebel  strong  holds,  instead 
of  attacking  them  at  some  of  the  weaker  and  more  vulnera- 
ble places,  where  important  victories  could  easily  have  been 
gained  and  at,  comparatively  speaking,  but  little  loss,  to- 
all  our  prosperity  of  former  days.  I  have  been  elected  as  President 
of  the  people,  and  it  is  my  determination  to  serve  you  as  such  ;  desiring 
to  treat  you  as  near  like  Washington,  Jefferson,  and  Madison  did,  as  I 
can,  I  shall  therefore  know  no  North,  no  South,  no  East,  no  "West.  I  will 
also  state  that  I  have  no  desire  nor  intention  of  interfering  with  any  of 
your  local  institutions  whatever.  Therefore,  as  one  whose  bosom  beats 
with  a  fervent  desire  for  the  welfare  of  my  country  and  countrymen,  I  do 
declare  emphatically  that  there  shall  be  :«o  blood  spilt  during  my  admin- 
istration, if  I  can  help  it.  But,  believing  that  you  have  in  seceding  acted 
more  through  fear  of  apprehended  dangers  than  from  any  other  cause,  I 
have,  in  order  that  I  may  dispel  this  fear,  clearly  and  explicitly  set  forth 
my  views,  which  are  likewise  the  views  of  my  party  that  elected  me  to 
office,  and  now,  desiring  the  opinion  of  the  Southern  people  in  reference 
thereto,- 1  do  hereby  issue  this  my  proclamation,  desiring  that  the  legal 
voters  of  all  the  aforesaid  States   ("for  you  are  all  interested  alikej  shall 

assemble  at  their  respective  places  of  holding  elections,  on  the day 

of next,  and  cast  their  votes  whether  or  not  they  wish  to  secede  for 

existing  causes. 

In  order  that  this  may  be  made  more  effective,  I  enjoin  upon  the  Gover- 
nors of  the  aforesaid  States  to  issue  their  proclamations,  ordering  the  con- 
vening of  the  people  of  their  respective  States,  on  the  day  and  for  the  purposes 
above  specified.  Should  any  of  the  States  vote  by  a  majority  to  secede,  I 
could  not  of  myself  give  them  up,  but  would  shortly  convene  Congress  to 
consider  the  matter. 

If  the  President  had  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  effect  of  the  above, 
secession  would,  in  my  opinion,  have  been  killed  so  dead  that  it  would 
scarcely  have  been  known  to  have  had  any  existence.  For,  in  my  opinion, 
there  is  not  a  State  at  the  South  in  which  the  ordinance  would  not  have 
been  killed,  could  the  people  have  voted  fairly  upon  it,  and,  in  the  most  of 
the  States  by  overwhelming  majorities.  And  in  case  the  Governors  of  some 
of  the  States  that  had  already  seceded  had  not  seen  fit  to  submit  this 


48 

getlier  with  the  dissentions  among  the  Northern  people, 
have,  in  ray  opinion,  tended  more  to  prolong  the  war  than 
any  other  two  causes. 

I  will  give  an  illustration  of  this.  A  few  days  before  the 
seven  day's  fight  before  Richmond  took  place,  I  was  in  Wil- 
mington, N.  p.,  and  heard  the  citizens  of  that  place  say,  that 
for  the  Federals  to  take  that  city  they  had  but  to  come  after 
it.  At  that  time  the  Southern  people  had  such  a  perfect 
horror  of  a  gunboat  that  I  don't  suppose  there  would  have 

ordinance  to  a  popular  vote  of  the  people,  there  would  have  been  such 
opposition  gotten  up  thereto  on  the  part  of  the  people,  that  it  would  have 
been  a  dead-go  anyway.  Therefore,  even  in  this  sense  of  the  word,  the 
rebellion  could  never  have  gained  much  headway.  For,  even  if  the  seces- 
sionists had  tried  to  do  anything,  the  words  of  the  President  would  have  come 
up  before  them,  and  they  would  soon  have  cowered  down  into  insignifi- 
cance. That  strategy  would  have  had  a  good  effect,  I  will  illustrate  by 
the  following : 

We  are  informed  that  the  historian  Josephus  upon  a  certain  occasion 
condemned  a  criminal  to  have  both  his  hands  cut  off.  At  this  he  began 
to  bemoan,  and  besought  Josephus  that  he  would  at  least  spare  him  ©ne 
of  his  hands,  to  which  he  assented.  The  criminal  then  submitted  for  one 
to  be  taken  off  with  but  little  regret.  But  it  was  a  ruse  on  the 
part  of  Josephus,  to  get  it  willingly,  he  not  intending  to  take  but  one  at 
the  start. 

Strategy  here  was  of  benefit,  and  a  little  on  the  part. of  the  President,  it 
is  thought,  would  have  averted  these  evils  from  the  country ;  or,  at  all 
events,  would  have  shortened  the  war  much  if  we  had  had  one. . 

But  after  coercion  was  attempted  on  the  part  of  the  General  Government, 
the  secessionists  used  all  manner  of  devices  to  increase  their  army,  saying 
"The  Yanks  are  going  to  take  your  lands  and  homes  to  pay  the  expenses 
of  the  war  ;  they  will  also  free  the  negroes,  and  have  them  in  your  midst, 
walking  with  and  intermarrying  your  daughters,"  and  all  such  like.  So 
the  harder  they  were  pressed  upon  the  more  force  they  could  bring  out. 
This  may  be  likened  unto  a  bridge  that  Julius  Csesar  built,  upon  a  certain 
occasion.  It  was  so  constructed  that  the  harder  the  waters  pressed  against 
it  so  much  the  more  firmly  were  the  timbers  bound  together.  Even  so 
with  the  rebellion.  Under  milder  treatment,  it  is  thought  the  fabric 
would  have  dissolved,  and  floated  down  the  current  of  time  long  ago,  or 
rather,  could  never  have  been  built  up. 

In  view  also  of  the  large  Union  sentiment  in  many  sections  at  the  South, 


49 

been  a  gun  fired,  or  at  least  that  was  the  talk  of  the  citizensj 
of  the  place.  Therefore,  if  the  Union  forces  had  only  made 
a  feint  upon  Richmond  and  had  gone  round  and  have  taken 
Wilmington  and  other  vulnerable  places,  how  much  they 
would  have  been  worth  to  the  Union  cause  !  If  Wilming- 
ton had  been  taken  at  that  time  North  Carolina  would  have 
been  compelled  to  come  back  into  the  Union  ere  this,  be- 
cause she  could  not  possibly  have  supplied  her  citizens  with 


the  thing  should  be  viewed  with  as  much  allowance  as  possible.  The 
woods  or  the  army  was  the  alternative  ;  and  a  man,  unless  he  have  con' 
siderable  means,  can't  exist  in  the  woods  two  years.  If  Governor  Brown, 
of  Georgia,  had  not  made  that  mistake  when  he  refused  to  let  his  militia 
officers  go  in  the  army,  by  which  means  a  regularly  organized  force  was  left 
behind  to  hunt  down  and  harrass  poor  conscripts  and  deserters,  the  rebel- 
lion would,  in  my  opinion,  have  been  played  out  long  ago.  I  will 
take  occasion  to  say  here,  that  had  the  people  of  my  section  been  near 
enough  the  Union  forces  to  join  them,  that  there  would  to-day  be  far  more 
of  them  fighting  under  the  stars  and  stripes  than  there  are  under  the  rebel 
flag.  J  will  also  state  that  I  believe,  if  the  Union  forces  would  now  hold  off  a 
little  and  not  make  any  more  advances  at  present,  and  hold  out  the  olive 
branch  of  peace,  that  time,  through  the  depreciation  of  their  currency 
South,  and  enormously  high  prices  of  provisions,  would  effect  a  reunion 
as  soon,  if  not  sooner,  than  more  forcible  measures.  For  it  is  evident 
that  the  North  cannot  conquer  and  overrun  the  whole  South ;  and  I  think 
they  now  have  in  their  possession  as  much  as  they  can  hold  to  advantage. 
And  if  they  would  now  fortify  these  points,  hold  their  own,  and  not  be  in 
too  big  a  hurry,  and  be  satisfied  to  give  a  little  time,  I  think  peace  and 
reunion  would  soon  be  the  consequence.  The  reason  that  I  speak  thus  is 
because  I  know  the  sentiments  of  many  of  the  Southern  people,  and  know 
that  they  desire  peace  and  reunion,  and  without  any  farther  shedding  of 
blood.  Therefore,  all  that  is  wanting  is  for  the  Anaconda  that  has  been 
placed  about  their  necks  to  be  loosed,  and  let  them  speak  out — and  time, 
I  think,  would  do  this  more  effectually  than  more  forcible  means.  For 
when  you  attack  them,  this  immense  serpent  draws  his  coils  more  closely 
around  them,  and  thus  presses  more  men  into  the  service.  But  if  suffered 
to  remain  inactive  awhile,  he  would  unloose  his  coils,  and  thus  to  a  certaia 
extent  release  the  people.  Yon  could  then  get  more  aid  from  Unionists 
South.     Therefore 

All  you  that  by  hard  fighting  would  excel, 
How  much  you  fight  regard  not,  but  how  well. 

4 


50 
S 
salt.     Large  quantities  of  this  were  manufactured  in  and 

around  Wilmington,  which  sold  at  from  forty  to  fifty  cents 
per  pound,  and  was  scarcely  to  be  had  at  that  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  people.  Therefore,  if 
"Wilmington  had  fallen,  North  Carolina  would  soon  have 
fallen  also,  and  one  star  plucked  from  the  Confederacy  the 
remaining  States  would  soon  have  followed.  And  the  beauty 
of  the  thing  is  that  all  of  this  might  have  been  accomplished 
with  but  little  or  no  loss  of  life. 

The  failure  of  the  Union  forces  to  take  Richmond  at  that 
time  was  probably  owing  as  much  to  their  having  undertaken 
an  impossibility  under'  existing  circumstances,  as  to  any- 
thing else ;  for  the  whole  Southern  Confederacy  was  there, 
so  to  speak.  Already  there  were  a  great  many  troops  at 
Richmond,  but  for  several  days  before  the  battle  every  train 
by  Ealeigh  and  Wilmington  was  loaded  down  to  the  full 
with  soldiers  "  for  Richmond."  Therefore,  if  there  had  been 
a  little  strategy  used  at  this  time  the  rebellion  would,  in  my 
opinion,  have  been  played  out  long  ago,  and  at  a  great  sav- 
ing of  life  also. 

It  is  also  thought  by  some  that  the  emancipation  policy 
has  had  a  bad,  rather  than  a  good,  effect,  and  that,  if  it's  far- 
ther enforcement  was  withheld,  say  for  ninety  days,  so  as  to 
give  the  rebs  one  more  chance,  and  would  then  call  for  vol- 
unteers, that  the  road  leading  to  a  restoration  of  the  Union 
would  be  as  plain  as  the  road  to  market.  I  will  remark  that 
so  far  as  I  am  concerned,  I  would  be  for  the  emancipation 
policy  if  I  thought  the  Union  would  thereby  be  restored 
sooner,  and  at  a  saving-  of  life  and  treasure.  In  fact,  I  am 
for  any  just  and  honorable  means  leading  to  this  end,  and 
am,  therefore,  for  using  the  negroes  in  any  way  that  they  can 
aid  in  putting  down  the  rebellion,  by  which  their  condition 
would  not  be  permanently  worsted.  And  that  they  can 
aid  materially  in  this  business,  even  without  going  into  the 
army,  there  is  no   doubt.     It  is,  therefore,  evident,  if  the 


.     51 

South  have  to  be  brought  back  by  ^orce  of  arms  alone,  that 
the  emancipation  policy  would  have  been  the  thing,  provided 
the  North  had  hung  together  on  this  question.  But,  taking 
that  into  consideration,  together  with  the  extensive  Union 
sentiment  in  many  portions  of  the  South,  it  is  thought  some 
milder  means  would  probably  have  done  as  well. 

It  is  also  thought  that  a  reunion,  to  be  worth  anj^tking, 
must  be  based  upon  the  will  of  the  people  governed,  and 
that,  therefore,  to  have  a  good  and  permanent  Government 
the  extremists  North,  and  South  must  yield,  and  let  the  ques- 
tion at  issue  be  decided  by  a  popular  vote  of  the  people. 

EEV.   DR.    MASSIE,    OF   ENGLAND,  VISITS    THE   UNITED  STATES. 

I  think  it  was  in  June,  of  the  present  year,  that  the  Eev. 
Dr.  Massie,  of  England,  visited  the  United  States.  He 
brought  with  him  a  petition  signed  by  some  seven  hundred 
and  fifty  Protestant  Ministers  of  France,  and  some  five  thou- 
sand of  those  of  England,  for  the  purpose  of  furthering  the 
emancipation  policy,  which  he  presented  to  the  President 
and  Cabinet.  If  these  gentlemen  could  do  anything  calcu- 
lated to  restore  peace  and  quietude  to  our  bleeding  country, 
most  happy  would  we  be  for  them  to  do  so.  But  anything 
that  is  calculated  to  embitter  the  feelings,  prolong  the  strug- 
gle, and  thus  make  the  breach  between  the*  two  sections 
greater,  we  do  not  desire  to  see.  We,  therefore,  think  that 
when  the  services  of  these  Reverend  gentlemen  are  needed 
to  interpose  in  our  political  affairs  they  should  be  notified 
thereof. 

THE  REBELLION  WANING. 
It  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  Administration  have  resorted 
to  no  means,  for  the  prosecution  of  this  unnatural  and  un- 
called-for war  on  the  part  of  the  rebs,  only  such  as  was 
thought  would  be  instrumental  in  restoring  the  Union  and 
at  a  saving  of  life  and  treasure.  Therefore,  if  any  of  these 
measures  have  turned  out  to  be  impolitic,  we  should  take  it 


52 

into  consideration  that  this  could  not  be  known  until  they 
had  been  tried. 

The  rebels  have  tried  certain  impolitic  measures,  and 
prominent  among  them  was  the  law  exempting  the  owner  of, 
or  person  having  in  charge,  twenty  negroes.  This  was  about 
to  work  a  considerable  disturbance  in  placing  a  distinction 
between  the  slave  and  non-slave  holder.  Their  legislators 
seeing  this,  wisely  for  the  cause  of  the  rebellion,  repealed  the 
ordinance  before  any  serious  disturbance  had  grown  out 
thereof. 

But  be  the  emancipation  ordinance  and  certain  military 
changes  that  have  been  made,  politic  or  impolitic  measures, 
I  think  we  have  now  got  to  where  we  can  see  through  the 
rebellion.  Therefore,  if  we  will  pull  together,  pull  steadily, 
and  hold  out  faithful  a  little  while  longer,  the  stars  and 
stripes  will,  as  I  believe,  soon  wave  triumphantly  throughout 
the  entire  length  and  breadth  of  the  land. 

WE   MUST   KEEP    UNITED. 

But  in  order  to  attain  to  this  great  desideratum  it  is  expe- 
dient that  we  keep  united  at  this  the  most  important  period  in 
our  national  existence,  or  we  may  yet,  perhaps,  through  the 
dissensions  and  divisions  of  the  people,  lose  the  prime  object 
for  which  the  Union  forces  set  out,  after  having  borne  the 
burden  and  heat  of  the  day.  Then  all  the  fighting  that  has 
been  done,  and  the  much  blood  that  has  been  spilt  on  the 
part  of  the  Union  forces,  will  all  have  been  spilt  in  vain. — 
The  stars  and  stripes,  the  flag  of  the  nation,  would  go  down 
with  dishonor  and  disgrace,  and  another  be  built  upon  the 
ruins  thereof.  Shall  we  thus,  through  dissensions,  be  com- 
pelled to  acknowledge  the  independence  of  the  South,  and 
thus,  in  effect,  acknowledge  that  they  were  right  in  seceding 
when  the  causes  were  not  justifiable  ?  Acknowledge  that 
they  were  right  in  firing  upon  and  capturing  Fort  Sumpter, 
when  it  might  have  been  honorably  avoided  ?     Acknowledge 


53 

that  they  were  right  in  inaugurating  this  cruel  civil  war,  in 
which  seas  of  blood  have  been  poured  out  and  billions  of 
treasure  expended  ?  Acknowledge  that  those  who  have  had 
'treasonable  intents  against  the  General  Government  for  the 
last  thirty  or  forty  years,  were  right  at  length  in  putting 
them  forth  ?  Acknowledge  all  these  things,  and,  above  all, 
permit '  those  secessionists  to  build  up  a  government  based 
upon  usurped  power  and  against  the  will  of  a  majority  of 
the  people  at  the  South  ?  No  !  never,  never  !  Never  will 
I,  for  one,  as  long  as  breath  animates  my  body  and  while 
there  is  even  a  remote  chance  for  success,  agree  to  this. 

If  we  would  not  have  all  these  evils,  and  even  greater,  to 
come  upon  us,  we  must  keep  united.  Justice  to  liberty,  our 
country  and  our  God  demand  that  we  keep  united.  Justice 
to  the  gallant  dead  who  have  fallen  in  defence  of  the  stars 
and  stripes,  and  who  now  lay  mouldering  in  the  clay,  demand 
that  we  keep  united.  Justice  to  the  many  loyal  people 
South,  who  have  held  out  amidst  various  trials  and  persecu- 
tions, and  who  still  hold  out  with  the  hope,  in  the  end,  of 
seeing  the  stars  and  stripes  wave  triumphantly  over  them, 
demand  that  we  keep  united.  We  must  keep  united  or  all 
may  yet  be  lost,  irretrievably  lost. 

The  Southern  people  are  principally  building  their  hopes 
of  success  upon  the  prospect  of  these  dissensions  and  a  con- 
sequent revolution  among  the  Northern  people.  This  I 
know.  Therefore,  if  the  people  would  now  exhaust  this 
source  of  aid  and  comfort  by  becoming  united,  the  rebellion 
would,  and,  as  I  believe,  with  but  very  little  more  shedding 
of  blood,  vanish  like  a  bank  of  snow  before  a  summer's  sun. 

We  will  take  it  for  granted  that  the  status  or  standing  of 
the  General  Government  towards  the  seceded  States  has  only 
been  changed  in  such  things  as  they  were  driven  to  by  the 
acts  of  the  secessionists.  This  is  but  fulfilling  the  Scriptures 
where  it  says  "  one  evil  word  calleth  for  another."  We  will, 
therefore,  take  it  for  granted,  as  soon  as  the  rebellion  shall 


54 

Have  been  conquered,  that  the  former  status  or  standing  of 
the  General  Government  will  be  resumed,  unless  a  majority 
of  the  people  should  say  otherwise.  Therefore,  it  would  be 
better  for  us  to  yield  our  private  opinions  for  the  present, 
than  to  cleave  thereto  and  thereby  endanger  the  Union  cause. 
For  we  should  recollect,  in  proportion  as  we  divide  and  relax 
our  energies  North,  that  in  just  this  same  proportion  do  we 
give  aid  and  comfort  to  the  rebellion  South.  We  should,  there- 
fore, know  no  party  at  this  most  important  crisis,  "  save  the 
Union  and  it  saved."  This  sentiment  should  rise  paramount  to 
every  party  consideration.  "We  should,  therefore,  be  willing 
to  leave  these  questions  of  minor  importance  for  the  people 
to  decide  hereafter,  as  they  would,  doubtless,  decide  them 
right.  Therefore,  keep  united,  press  forward,  don't  give  up 
the  ship,  and  when  it  gets  too  hot  for  our  Southern  brethren 
let  them  come  back  into  the  Union  where  they  ought  to  be, 
and  from  which,  in  my  opinion,  they  ought  never  to  have 
gone.  And.  having' gone  without  a  cause,  they  may  at  last 
blame  themselves  most  for  the  many  privations,  hardships 
and  sufferings  they  now  endure.,  And  should  slavery  event- 
ually suffer,  they  may  also  blame  themselves  most  for  that ; 
for  they  were  warned  and  told  in  time  that  secession  would 
in  all  probability  lead  to  the  emancipation  of  their  servants- 

TO   MY   SOUTHERN     COUNTRYMEN. 

The  following  is,  in  the  main,  intended  for  my  Southern 
brethren,  should  it  by  chance  fall  into  their  hands : 

My  Dear  Friends: — What  have  your  politicians  and 
the  secessionists  promised  you  ?  They  promised  you  that 
it  should  be  peaceable  secession.  Some  in  their  speeches 
asserted  that  they  would  pay  the  cost  of  the  war  for 
ten  cents ;  others  that  they  would  wipe  up  all  the  blood 
that  would  be  spilt  with  a  pocket  handkerchief;  and  others 
still  more  generous,  said  they  would  agree  to  drink  all  the 
blood  that  would  be  spilt.     To  be  short,   they  by  making 


00 

such  speeches  as  the  above,  managed  to  deceive  many  of 
you,  and  to  get  you  to  volunteer,  telling  you  that  we  must 
present  a  formidable  front,  and  thus  back  out  the  North. 
Whether  or  not,  these  persons  were  conscientious  in  making 
these  statements,  I  am  unable  to  say,  but  if  they  were  cer- 
tain, it  is,  that  it  has  turned  out,  that  they  were  greatly  mis- 
taken. After  getting  a  goodly  number  of  you  to  volunteer, 
they  soon  got  the  war  started,  and  after  getting  that  started, 
they  soon  devised  means  for  forcing  the  remainder  of  you 
into  the  army.  They  did  this  first  by  the  draft,  and  then 
subsequently  and  more  completely  by  the  unjust  conscrip- 
tion. Even  those  of  you,  who  had  been  bitterly  opposed  to 
secession  and  its  fruits  from  the  start,  and  whom  they  had 
denied  the  just  rights  of  freemen  in  not  permitting  you  to 
vote  directly  upon  this  all-important  subject,  they  now,  by 
their  unjust  legislation,  compelled  to  take  up  arms,  and 
go  forth  and  fight  the  battles  of  the  war  that  they  had  them- 
selves inaugurated,  sometimes  even  hunting  you  down, 
casting  you  in  prison,  and  sending  you  forth  in  irons  to 
shed  your  blood  upon  some  cruel  battle  field.  "Was  it  jus- 
tice, that  you  as  peaceable  citizens  should  thus  have  been 
hunted  down,  torn  from  your  innocent  and  dependent  fami- 
lies, and  compelled  to  gO  forth  and  enact  scenes  that  were 
revolting  to  your  feelings,  revolting  to  Christianity,  and  re- 
volting to  civilization  ?  Was  it  justice  that  our  politicians 
largely  in  the  minority,  should  thus  of  their  own  arbitrary 
power  legislate  away,  as  it  were,  your  lives,  and  thereby 
create  desolation,  ruin  and  mourning  throughout  the  entire 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land  ?  It  undoubtedly  was  not 
justice,  and  to  sum  up  the  whole  in  a  few  words,  was  in  my 
opinion,  a  grand  usurpation  of  power,  and  ought  not  to  have 
been  submitted  to  for  a  moment. 

I  think  in  all  republican  governments,  a  majority  of  the 
people  should  rule,  and  particularly  upon  these  all-impor- 
tant questions  like  the  present,  which  has  involved  us  in  so 


56 

much  trouble  and  distress.  Therefore,  as  our  politicians 
thought  proper  to  bring  on  this  war  without  consulting  you, 
I  now  think  it  would  be  fair  and  just  for  you  to  end  the 
war  without  consulting  them  by  deserting  and  fleeing  from 
them,  and  leaving  those  secessionists  to  fight  their  own  bat- 
tles if  they  want  any  fought.  Yea,  I  think  your  outraged 
rights  demand  that  you  should  speedily  desert  and  flee  from 
them  like  rats  from  a  sinking  ship,  and  let  the  structure 
founder,  and  go  down  with  the  secesh  only  on  board 
should  they  choose  to  hold  on,  and  the  next  time  they 
wish  to  secede,  let  them  consult  the  masses  of  the  people. 

A   FEW   WORDS   IN    MY   OWN   DEFENCE. 

I  have  by  these  sectional  troubles  been  compelled  to  take 
one  of  three  positions,  which  were :  first  to  take  sides  with 
m  j  Southern  brethren  in  the  rebellion  ;  second,  espouse  the 
Union  cause ;  and  third,  remain  neutral,  which  I  could  easily 
have  done  after  getting  rid  of  the  conscription. 

But  I  could  not  take  sides  with  my  Southern  brethren  in 
the  rebellion,  from  the  fact,  that  I  did  not  think  the  causes 
justified  secession.  And  when  so  many  of  my  fellow  men 
were  fast  passing  from  time  to  eternity,  feeling  that  I  had  a 
duty  to  perform,  I- could  not  content  myself  to  remain  neu- 
tral. Therefore,  believing  that  my  Southern  brethren  acted 
with  too  much  haste,  first,  in  seceeding,  and  then  inaugur- 
ating this  wicked  war  ;  and,  also,  believing  that  the  only 
safe  and  permanent  way  of  settling  our  difficulties,  is  by  a 
restoration  of  the  Union,  I  have  considered  it  my  impera- 
tive duty  to  espouse  the  Union  cause,  and  vindicate  its  prin- 
ciples through  weal  and  through  woe. 

But  I  have  thus  been  placed  in  a  very  uncomfortable 
situation,  for  I  have  kindred,  persons  that  are  near  and  dear 
to  me  by  the  ties  of  nature  in  the  Southern  army,  and  oh ! 
shall  they  go  down,  or  shall  I  once  more,  in  peace,  be  per- 
mitted to  behold  their  happy  faces  ?  This  is  a  subject  that 
draws  like  chords  around  my  heart,  and  nothing  but  a  con- 


57 

scientious  belief,  that  I  was  in  the  discharge  of  my  duty 
would  have  prompted   me  to   have  taken   the  stand  that  I 
have.     Yea,  before  I  would  have  done  anything  in  this  mat- 
ter that  I  conceived  would  be  against  the  best  interest  of  my 
Southern  brethren,   and   country   generally,  I  would    have 
suffered  the  last  drop  of  blood  that  is  within   my  veins  to 
run  cold.     But  it   being  a   matter'  of  so  very  great  impor- 
tance, one  in  which  the  very  life  of  our  country,  as  well  as 
the  destinies  of  probably  many  future  generations  is  involv- 
ed, I   considered   it  my   imperative    duty    to   espouse  the 
Union  cause,  and  stand  by  it,  live  or  die,  sink  or  swim.     I '' 
have  accordingly  done  this  at  much  expense  and  great  risk. 
At  length  for  issuing    and  circulating  certain  ^publications, 
I  was  twice  arrested  and  imprisoned,  and  being  in  danger 
of  a  third  arrest  for  a  similar  offense,  thinking  it  might  not 
go  so  well  with  me,  as  I  had  been  told  I  would  be  tried  for 
treason  if  arrested  any  more,  I  deemed  it  expedient  to  evade 
this  by  crossing  the  line,  and  did  so.     I  am  though  glad  to 
see  that  free  speech  is  once  more  becoming  dominant  in  my 
native  State.     Old  North  Carolina  will  soon  take  her  posi- 
tion once  more  under  the  stars  and  stripes,  and  one  star 
plucked  from  the  Confederacy,  the  remaining  States  would 
soon  follow. 

PLAN"   FOR   RESTORING   THE   UNION. 

Before  closing,  I  wish  to  give  a  plan  by  which  I  think  the 
Union  can  be  restored,  and  at  comparatively  little  loss  of 
life.  I  have  endeavored  to  show  that  there  is  an  extensive 
Union  sentiment  existing  in  various  portions  of  the  South. 
Measures  that  would  now  increase  this  sentiment  would,  in 
my  opinion,  be  the  plan.  And,  in  my  opinion,  the  best  way  for 
doing  this  would  be  to  give  them  evidence  that  a  strong  con- 
servative feeling  exists  North.  And  the  best  way  to 
test  this  would  be  to  submit  the  following  resolution  to 
the  legal  voters  of  all  the  free  States,  and  let  them  vote 
■thereon,  for  or  against  as  they  see  proper  ;  to  wit : 

"  That  this  war  is  not  waged  On  their  part  in  any  spirit  of 


58 

oppression,  or  for  the  purpose  of  overthrowing  or  interfering 
with  the  rights  and  established  institutions  of  the  States,  but 
to  defend  and  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  Constitution, 
and  to  preserve  the  Jnion  with  all  the  dignity,  equality 
and  rights  of  the  several  States  unimpaired,  and  that  as 
soon  as  these  objects  are  accomplished  the  war  ought  to 
cease,  'T 

If  the  above  were-  submitted  to  the  Northern  people,  and 
an  extensive  Union  sentiment  should  thereby  be  shown 
forth,  I  believe  it  would  have  more  effect  in  restoring  peace 
and  a  reunion  than  all  the  gunpowder  in  the  United  States. 
And  if  thus  restored  by  conciliatory  measures,  the  work 
would  then  be  completed.  We  could  then  join  together  and 
journey  on  once  more  happily  and  prosperously  together. 
But  if  restored  solely  by  force  of  arms,  conciliatory  measures 
would  at  last  have  to  be  resorted  to ;  for,  as  has  already 
been  said,  "  A  reunion,  to  be  worth  anything,  must  be  based 
upon  the  will  of  the  people  governed."  I  therefore  think 
the  Union  could  be'  restored  sooner,  and  at  a  greater  saving 
of  human  life,  by  this  plan,  than  by  any  other  known  to 
me.  Or  it  might  be  so  arranged  as  to  have  a  proposition 
submitted  to  the  Southern  people  also  ;  and  that  is,  let  the 
two  Governments  by  mutual  agreement  come  to  the  under- 
standing that,  if  the  proposition  already  mentioned  were 
submitted  to  the  people  of  the  Northern  States,  and  should 
be  carried  favorably,  that  the  Confederate  authorities  should 
then  submit  to  the  Southern  people  the  question  whether  or 
not  they  would  accept  a  reunion  upon  this  basis.  If  we 
could  thus  get  this  question  out  of  the  hands  of  the  politi- 
cians into  those  of  the  people,  I  think  they  would  soon 
decide  it,  and  decide  it  right. 

It  is  also  thought,  as  the  Federal  Government  is  vastly 
superior  in  strength  and  power,  that  the  Administration 
could,  without  endangering  the  cause  in  the  least,  either 
submit  or  receive  proposals  leading  to  peace  and  conciliation. 

I  have  so  much    confidence  in  the  above   plan  that  if  it 


59 

could  be  inaugurated  I  would  be  willing  to  risk  my  all,  even 
my  life,  that  it  would  result  in  a  restoration  of  the  Union. 
But  if  force  of  arms  alone  be  resorted  to,  the  longer  our 
sectional  troubles  remain  unsettled  the  more  new  difficulties 
will  spring  up,  and  the  harder  it  will  be  in  the  end  to  recon- 
cile them.  We  need  not  expect  to  settle  our  difficulties, 
and  particularly  by  force  of  arms,  in  such  a  way  as  to  be 
satisfied  immediately  at  the  result ;  for,  let  us  settle  them  as 
we  may,  it  will  take  time,  and  a  great  deal  of  it  at  that,  to 
effectually  heal  the  awful  breach  that  has  been  made.  Many 
times,  if  we  would  do  what  is  best,  we  must  do  things  that 
we  do  not  wish  to  do.  So  of  this  all-important  subject,  now 
before  us.  Let  us  consult  our  interest  rather  than  our  feelings, 
for  it  is  a  subject  in  which  is  involved  the  destinies  of  pro- 
bably many  future  generations  ;  and  if  such  a  subject  as  this 
will  not  justify  our  yielding  in  some  of  our  mere  personal 
feelings,  I  should  like  to  know  one  that  would.  So  before 
tearing  up  and  consigning  to  utter  desolation  and  ruin  this 
once  fair  portion  of  the  earth,  let  us  make  one  mighty  effort 
to  restore  peace  and  quietude  to  our  now  disaffected  country 
by  conciliatory  measures.  But  if  in  the  end  mild  words 
and  gentle  means  ivould  not  reclaim  the  wicked,  they  must  then 
he  dealt  with  in  a  more  severe  manner. 

CONCLUSION. 

I  have  endeavored  to  give  my  views  impartially  upon 
this  all-important  subject,  and  we  now  come  to  take  our  last 
view  of  the  matter.  But,  before  doing  so,  I  would  desire  to 
urge  upon  you,  my  countrymen,  the  vast  importance  of  the 
struggle  in  which  we  are  now  engaged.  The  destinies  of  un- 
born generations  are  depending  upon  the  issue.  We  should 
therefore  rise  up  in  our  might,  and  declare  that  the  Union 
must  and  shall  be  preserved.  Had  our  forefathers  been 
here,  do  you  suppose  they  would  have  disrupted  the  Union 
for  the  causes  that  existed  at  the  commencement  of  our  sec- 
tional troubles  ?  No ;  never,  never.  A  voice  from  our 
gallant  dead,  who  had  fallen  in  the  achievement  of  our  liber- 


60 

ties,  and  who  now  lay  mouldering  in  a  common  grave, 
would  have  come  up  before  them,  saying,  "  Down  with 
your  schisms  and  divisions.  It  was  not  for  this  that  we 
fought,  bled,  and  died.  Keep  united,  and  you  will  be  a 
great,  happy,  and  prosperous  people." 

Therefore,  the  difficulties  between  the  North  and  the 
South  should  not  be  viewed  as  existing  between  foreign 
enemies,  but  between  people  that  should  be  towards  each 
other  as  brothers,  both  sides  of  which  have  erred  and  gone 
aside  from  the  path  of  duty.  If  each  side  would  now  do  away 
with  these  wrongs,  and  let  the  two  sections  be  united  upon 
just  and  honorable  terms,  will,  -I  think,  in  the  end,  be  for 
the  best. 

Shall  the  Monarchal  Powers  of  Europe  point  to  our  coun- 
try as  an  example  and  say,  that  man  is  incapable  of  self- 
government  ?  I  hope  not.  Let  us  then  join  together  as 
erring  brothers,  and  yet  solve  the  problem  "  that  man  is 
capable  of  self-government."  What  do  you  think  the  Father 
of  his  country  would  say  were  he  now  back  to  take  a  view 
of  his  once  beloved  country  ?  "  United  we  stand  :  divided 
we  fall,"  would  probably  be  his  words. 

We  were  making  onward  and  upward  strides,  and  the 
United  States,  but  for  these  sectional  troubles  were  destined 
soon  to  have  taken  the  front  rank  among  the  nations  of  the 
globe.  But  oh  !  where  are  we  now  ?  I  answer  in  the  broad 
road  that  leads  to  ruin,  speeding  our  way  thither,  as  fast  as 
the  wheels  of  time  impelled  forward  by  the  rage  of  an  infu- 
riated people,  can  bid  us  fly. 

Oh !  that  those  that  were  principally  in  fault,  in  bring- 
ing on  our  sectional  troubles,  may  soon  be  brought  to  see  their 
error,  and  that  their  course  may  be  changed  before  it  be 
everlasting  too  late  ;  that  the  dark  cloud  which  has  lowered 
over  us  as  a  nation  and  people,  may  soon  break  away  ;  and 
that  peace,  ah !  blessed  peace,  may  beam  forth  upon  us  ; 
and  that  we  may  ere  long  be  a  united,  contented,  and  happy 
people,  is  the  sincere  desire  of  one  who  has  at  heart  the 
interest  of  both  sections  of  the  country. 


P      Microfilmed 

!  SOLINET7ASERL  PROJECT 


3XT  O  1JV      3FL  £2iLJD  "ST  . 


Mt  Mmtitntm  ai  glwttv 


TUB     SOUTHEEKT     STATES. 

RELIGIOUSLY    AND    MORALLY    CONSIDERED 

Is  now  ready  for  distribution,  and  will  be  sent,  free  of  postage,  to  any 
part  of  the  United  States  on  the  receipt  of  twenty -five  cents. 

Persons  desiring  this  work  for  gratuitous  distribution  will  be  supplied 
at  the  rate  of  six  copies  for  $1,  and  the  postage  prepaid  to  any  part  of  the 
United  States. 

All  orders  should  be  addressed  to 

BRYAN  TYSON, 

Box  6£,  Washington,  D.  C. 


IMOW     I3KT      r»m3SS. 


5) 
OR, 

tewMttw  WxtxsXlu  m  ill*  $zti\$ml  Iratto, 

religiously  and  morally  considered, 

:b*y    IB  !Ft  Y  .A.  1ST    T'YSOisr. 


The  above  is  the  title  of  a  Book  published  in  Raleigh,  North  Carolina, 
above  one  year  ago. 

This  work  is  founded  upon  religious  principles.  The  author  having,  in 
a  profession  of  religion,  above  fifteen  years  ago,  experienced  some  things 
that  he  thought  pertainel  to  these  sectional  troubles,  has  written  them 
out  with  the  hope  that  they  may  be  of  benefit  to  his  country  and  country- 
men. The  work,  revised  and  enlarged,  will  contain  some  three  hundred 
pages,  and  will  be  ready  to  mail  about  the  first  of  November.  On  the  re- 
ceipt of  $1  it  will  be  sent,  free  of  postage,  to  any  part  of  the  United  States. 

Send  your  orders  early  to 

BRYAN  TYSON, 

Box  6^,  Washington,  D.  C. 


V         i, 


